The Hunger Games Universe –The Cast Then & Now

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Then: Jennifer Lawrence, 8th Grade at Kammerer Middle School, Louisville, KY (2005)

A Kentucky native, smiley young Jennifer Lawrence liked to perform in church plays. By age 14, she talked her parents into taking her to New York to snag a talent agent. It worked and she hit the ground running appearing in TV guest roles and eventually landing a part in The Bill Engvall Show.

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Now: Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen

Jennifer Lawrence treated the role of 16-year-old heroine, Katniss Everdeen, very seriously. Lawrence dyed her hair brunette and learned archery skills to authentically reflect Katniss’ traits from the book. Since The Hunger Games, Lawrence has become America's sweetheart and BFF. Oh, and she also won the Best Actress Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook.

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Then: Josh Hutcherson, Sophomore Year at Ryle High School, Union, KY (2008)

A fellow Kentucky thespian, Josh Hutcherson started even earlier than Lawrence auditioning for parts at age nine. He quickly got cast in TV shows and made his film debut in 2003’s American Splendor.

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Now: Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark

By the time Hutcherson was cast as the baker’s son, Peeta Mellark, in The Hunger Games, the actor already had seventeen films on his resume including starring roles in Zathura and Bridge to Terabithia. As Peeta, Hutcherson gets to play a lover and a fighter as Katniss’ fellow District 12 Tribute (and secret admirer).

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Then: Liam Hemsworth in Neighhours (2007)

Coming from a family of acting siblings (Chris and Luke), it was only natural that Liam followed in his older brother’s footsteps looking to make his mark in Australia’s acting circles. Like Luke, Liam was cast in the Aussie soap Neighhours playing an athletic paraplegic.

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Liam Hemsworth as Gale

After losing out to his brother Chris for the part of Thor, Liam quickly landed the romantic lead in the 2010 Miley Cyrus drama, The Last Song., (The two had a tumultuous real life romance.) He was then cast as Katniss’ fellow hunting buddy, Gale Hawthorne, who has inadvertently helped her train for the games and promises to feed and protect her family when she has to leave for the Capitol. Since the first film, Hemsworth has been cementing his status as an action star in The Expendables 2 and Paranoia.

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Then: Woody Harrelson, Senior Year at Lebanon High School, Lebanon, OH (1979)

Even in high school, Harrelson had that rascal’s smile. A Texas boy from Midland, Woody went to Hanover College in Indiana for theater. Only two years after he graduated, Woody was cast as dim bartender Woody Boyd on Cheers.

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Now: Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy

Harrelson’s since earned two Academy Award nominations for The People vs. Larry Flynt and The Messenger. He almost passed up playing drunken District 12 victor and mentor Haymitch Abernathy until he read the books and director Gary Ross called to plead with him. Harrelson told Fandango, “Gary called me and said, “Dude, you've got to do this. I don't have a second choice. You've got to play Haymitch.” And I was like, 'Well, when you put it that way... let's do this damn thing.'”

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Then: Lenny Kravitz, 8th Grade at John Adams Junior High, Santa Monica, CA (1978)

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Now: Lenny Kravitz as Cinna

In one of the most surprising casting decisions, Gary Ross hired Kravitz to play Cinna the Capitol stylist who bonds with and supports Katniss Everdeen in her preparation for the games. Kravitz told ScreenCrave: “Gary actually called to ask me to be in the film and I had to say, ‘I don’t know what it is.’ I read the book the next day. Downloaded it. Then I called him back very quickly.”

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Then: Willow Shields in In Plain Sight (2009)

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Now: Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen

Two years later, the casting team on The Hunger Games auditioned Willow by tape and then brought her out to LA to meet with director Gary Ross. Shields quickly showed she had the emotional chops to be Katniss Everdeen’s empathetic little sister and won the part on the spot.

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Then: Stanley Tucci, Senior Year at John Jay High School, Katonah, NY (1978)

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Now: Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickman

A character actor that manages to make every part big and memorable, Tucci was a no-brainer to play the flamboyant Capitol games host and interviewer, Caesar Flickman. Tucci even makes the character’s signature blue hair and eyebrows look cool, not Smurfy in the least.

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Then: Elizabeth Banks on Third Watch (1999)

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Now: Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket

Already a friend of Gary Ross and a huge fan of The Hunger Games books, Banks said she actively campaigned for the role of outlandish Capitol District 12 representative Effie Trinket. Banks told EW that she pitched Ross that Effie “drank the Kool-Aid. Essentially she’s a villain — a really fun villain, but a villain nonetheless. The challenges for me were how to make her theatrical and larger than life but also fit into the tone of this movie, which is very serious.”

Then: Julianne Moore, Senior Year at Frankfurt American High School, Frankfurt, Germany (1979)

As a young girl, Moore moved around frequently ending her high school education in Frankfurt, Germany where her father was stationed. She began acting in plays and took acting more seriously at Boston College.

Now: Julianne Moore as President Coin

Moore has established herself as one of America's greatest actresses with roles in Boogie Nights and The Hours. She joins The Hunger Games as President Coin as the ruthless leader of District 13.

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Then: Donald Sutherland with former wife, Shirley Douglas (c 1968)

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Now: Donald Sutherland as President Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Acting steadily for 50 years in every kind of film genre, Sutherland actually read The Hunger Games script, was hooked and pitched Gary Ross a more detailed backstory for the refined but villainous President Snow. Ross loved the material and even added a few original scenes to the finished script for the first film.

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Then: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Senior Year at Fairport High School, Fairport, NY (1985)

Now: Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee

Phillip Seymour Hoffman has been an independent film favorite with turns in Boogie Nights, Happiness and Magnolia. After he won the Best Actor Oscar in 2006 for Capote, Hoffman took on roles in a few big budget films but primarily stuck to his indie roots. Taking on a role in such a hot franchise isn't a normal career move for Hoffman, but he's not too worried about it. "Things always pass over, you know? I don’t know what it will be like. But, you know, I’m not playing Katniss. [Laughs] I’m not in high-profile movies in that way too often, so it usually passes. I’m 45. I think it will be all right." Sadly, the world lost a talented actor, when Hoffman died of a reported drug overdose in NYC in early February 2014.

Then: Natalie Dorrmer in Casanova (2005)

Six months after she graduated from drama school in London, Dormer snagged the role of Victoria in Casanova opposite Heath Ledger. It was her first feature role.

Now: Natalie Dormer as Cressida

Dormer's now best known for her standout role on Game of Thrones and is joining The Hunger Games as Cressida. She shaved the side of her head specifically for playing the rebel film director and completely rocks it.

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Then: Sam Claflin in The Pillars of the Earth (2010)

British actor, Sam Claflin, started out playing Richard in the TV mini-series The Pillars of the Earth alongside some esteemed acting colleagues including future The Hunger Games: Catching Fire co-star Donald Sutherland.

Now: Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair

Claflin has had parts in Pirates of the Caribbean and Snow White and the Huntsman . Claflin says that he received flak from The Hunger Games fans who were upset over him playing Finnick. But Claflin has had no problem playing the sexy ally to Katniss.

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Then: Jena Malone in Bastard Out of Carolina

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Now: Jena Malone as Johanna Mason

Since Bastard Out of Carolina, Jena Malone has been in just about everything, including cult hits Donnie Darko and Saved! Malone, a huge fan of the books, knew that the role of Johanna was just too good to pass up.

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Then: Jeffrey Wright in Basquiat (1996)

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Now: Jeffery Wright as Beetee

Wright has since been in everything from independent dramas like Broken Flowers to television on HBO's Boardwalk Empire. He's excited to join the franchise as Beetee because he feels the message of the films is important: "Issues around war and the consequences of war and the consequences of war on warriors and people - the human elements of that - I don't think we can address enough. And if we can do it in a way that's as thrilling as these movies are, more power to us."

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Then: Lynn Cohen on Sex and the City

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Now: Lynn Cohen as Mags

Cohen played Mags, District 4 tribute and mentor to Finnick. While Mags is silent, she was hugely important to Finnick and during the Quarter Quell.

Then: Amanda Plummer in The World According to Garp (1982)

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Now: Amanda Plummer as Wiress

Plummer has had roles in both television and film. One of her best known roles was in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. She played the District 3 tribute, Wiress, who despite her crazy behavior is an important ally for Katniss.