Archive for the ‘Effie’ Category


MTV: ‘Hunger Games’ Casting News: Elizabeth Banks Confirmed, District 4 Tributes Found

Posted by amanda in Apr 28, 2011 with No Comments

Consider this a three-for-one special. Today brings not one, not two, but THREE new additions to the big-screen adaptation of “The Hunger Games”!

First, the oldish (but now newish!) news regarding Elizabeth Banks. She’s officially in as District 12 escort Effie Trinket! After a Twitter tease earlier in the day, in which she quoted one of Effie’s lines from Suzanne Collins’ novel, Lionsgate and Elizabeth (via Twitter, natch) confirmed the news. “Yes! And I can now confirm I’m EFFIE TRINKET in @TheHungerGames. So excited!,” she wrote.

It’s pretty safe to say fans are excited too. In a Hollywood Crush poll, 76 percent of readers wanted Elizabeth to don Effie’s pink wig, so it looks like the odds are ever in her favor! Congratulations, Elizabeth.

In other Panem news, fishing-focused District 4 has found its (unnamed) tributes: Meet Ethan Jamieson and Tara Macken. Ethan’s credits thus far include an appearance on “One Tree Hill” as Kid #2 (surely you remember him?) and the TV movie “The Rusty Bucket Kids: Lincoln, Journey to 16.” Tara’s resume is quite a bit more robust and resembles that of co-star Kalie Prescott—they’re both stunt women. Tara’s also made appearances as an actress on “Sons of Anarchy,” “Victorious” and “Hawaii Five-0.”

Ethan and Tara join previously cast tributes Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi (District 11), Leven Rambin and Jack Quaid (District 1), Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott (District 3), and, of course, District 12 tributes Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.

Who will be cast next? While many fans would probably guess Haymitch, I’m going to predict Lionsgate will keep that one close to the vest for a while. You know, ramp up suspense (even though rumors have been circulating John C. Reilly is in talks for the role…). I’m going to wager on several more tributes and perhaps a Cinna casting before we know who District 12′s most notorious drunk will be.

 

 

via ‘Hunger Games’ Casting News: Elizabeth Banks Confirmed, District 4 Tributes Found.



Examiner: Elizabeth Banks in talks to play Effie Trinket in ’The Hunger Games’ movie

Posted by amanda in Apr 18, 2011 with No Comments

Actress Elizabeth Banks may be in talks to play Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games movie — a move that could bring some additional star-power to the film.

Variety says Banks is in talks with Lionsgate for the role of District 12′s chatty, pink-haired escort. Banks has previously tweeted her love of The Hunger Games books.

Banks has a long list of film and TV roles, including a part in 2003′s Seabiscuit, which was also directed by Hunger Games director Gary Ross. Some of her other notable film credits include Spider-Man 2, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Zack & Miri Make a Porno, Fred Claus, W., and Definitely, Maybe. She’s had recurring roles on TV shows such as Scrubs and 30 Rock, as well as guest appearances on other shows, like Modern Family and American Dad.

Earlier Monday, Lionsgate also announced that Amandla Stenberg had been cast as Rue and Dayo Okeniyi had been cast as Thresh, both the tributes from District 11. They join previously-announced cast members Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta), and Liam Hemsworth (Gale).

 

 

via Elizabeth Banks in talks to play Effie Trinket in ’The Hunger Games’ movie – National The Hunger Games | Examiner.com.



EW: ‘The Hunger Games’: Now that we have the main three, who should play Haymitch, Effie, and Prim?

Posted by amanda in Apr 05, 2011 with 2 Comments

With Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth joining Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games movie adaptation, all three vertices are now in place. To those who haven’t yet read Hunger Games (what are you waiting for, the movie?), Katniss, Peeta, and Gale are the series’ equivalent of Andie, Blane, and Duckie, except, you know, fighting other teenagers to the death instead of going to prom. But just because they are at the center of the story doesn’t mean they’re the only characters fans are interested in casting. (Actually, one of the best aspects of Suzanne Collins’ books is that there is so much going on beyond the Team This and Team That mooning and fawning.)

Moving onto the next tier of roles, we have Haymitch, Effie, and Prim — three prime spots that still to be filled. Haymitch is Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, a former tribute who drinks like an alcoholic fish. I’m guessing they’re going to go for a respectable actor who can simultaneously play inebriated and lovable, maybe someone along the lines of Robert Downey Jr., Jeffrey Dean Morgan, or Hugh Laurie. I’m not sure whether RDJ has the time to join up with yet another franchise, but after his drink-tastic turn in Zodiac (not to mention having his own personal travails to draw from), it’s hard to argue he wouldn’t be pretty great for the role.

Effie is just about the only character that fans seem to be nearly unanimous about, and I totally get how Kristin Chenoweth would be perfect as the bubbly, totally Capitol escort, but for some reason I keep seeing fellow blonde Elizabeth Banks in my mind’s eye. It might be because I tend to view Effie as more of an antagonist than some readers. Sure, she helps out once in a while, but at her heart, she’s self-centered, callous, and actively engaged in a vast mechanism designed to kill innocent people. It’s not even that she’s just following orders, but that she’s following order so gleefully. Chenoweth has the glee part down, but I don’t quite see that undercurrent of malice in her. Is it just me? Eh, probably. Finally there’s Prim, Katniss’ sister. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up being the consolation prize for one of the younger actresses who didn’t get to play the Girl on Fire, or perhaps even given to someone like Elle Fanning. (EW’s Karen Valby does, however, have another young promising actress in mind: Mad Men‘s Kiernan Shipka, a.k.a. Sally Draper.)

What do you good folks think? Now that we have our three leads, who should be tapped to fill out the cast? Tell us who should play these three, and why I’m totally wrong about Chenoweth.

via ‘The Hunger Games’: Now that we have the main three, who should play Haymitch, Effie, and Prim? | PopWatch | EW.com.