By Geneva Gámez-Vallejo
Jennifer Lawrence took center stage at a recent press conference in Beverly Hills, where topic of discussion was the culmination of the franchise series Hunger Games, which she’s played Katniss Everdeen -the protagonist role in the film for the past six years. Also, present at the press conference were Director, Francis Lawrence; Producer, Nina Jacobson; Josh Hutcherson, as Peeta and Liam Hemsworth, as Gale in the series.
In an intimate setting of about thirty, they each sat comfortably and answered our questions extensively. A much anticipated release of The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 has brought forward speculation of how the final chapter of this high grossing blockbuster comes to its end, so here’s a sneak peek.
As part two of the Mockingjay builds on the momentum of each previous chapter in the series to reach a fever pitch of action and emotion, Katniss is brought full circle from the dismayed girl caught in a dystopian nightmare to a fierce and determined leader of her nation. Her stakes for surviving the deadliest of games we’ve as of yet are what will set the course of the future, with a torn heart between Gale and Peeta -still, but promise she finally takes her pick.
Another, giveaway. If you’re wondering if the late Philip Seymour Hoffman continues to be part of this last chapter as Plutarch Heavensbee -the mastermind behind the rebellion, the answer is yes. “Collaborating with Phil on the Hunger Games movies was a fantastic experience for all of us – just to have the chance to watch him work and to learn from him -and his portrait of Plutarch is very moving” expressed Director, Francis Lawrence of Hoffman who died in between films.
During the conference, it was almost inevitable for Jennifer Lawrence not to be asked how she feels her role as Katniss has impacted the audience, to what she responded “I feel the impact of being a part of such a huge movie that does so much for so many people, I mean it would be impossible not to and I think that this character is overwhelmingly supportive of women -obviously -and um, it’s iconic. I don’t feel a personal impact, I think that if you ever become aware of that then it takes away from it a little bit. So it’s the movie, it’s the characters and they kind of have their own life and that’s kind of like your avatar self.”
We asked her how she managed success in other roles that weren’t Katniss, unlike many actors who struggle to detach and be seen as individuals post blockbusters, to what she jokingly asked “Do you think I’m doomed?” After a short laugh she continued, “well, I’ve been incredibly fortunate. When I shot the first Hunger Games movie and then I auditioned for David O’Russell’s Silver Linings (for which she won a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the second youngest Best Actress Academy awardee) two weeks after I wrapped, so he had no idea of what was about to happen, I remember there’d been a few times when I would’ve really loved time off but I was very aware of how overwhelming these movies and this character was -and that was a big fear of mine signing on to the movies.”
“I want people to be able to lose themselves when they’re watching a movie, not see the same character. This character however, is remarkable and in my opinion Katniss is the greatest female character ever, so I wasn’t too mad at that. But I just try to keep working so that people can see other characters, other things that I can do, instead of taking vacation time -and now I’m aging” she said laughingly again.
From the get-go, the movies have been a hype amongst young adults. On what the cast hopes their young adult audience takes away from the movie Hutcherson expressed “…for me, a message that’s always resonated that I think is pretty strong is about standing up for what you believe in and how one person has the ability to affect something -that one person can stand up and get behind a cause. I think that’s why they [young audience] connected, because it gives them a sense of empowerment.”
Jacobson added “I do think the notion of social change and the possibility of defiance in the face of injustice and kindness in the face of cruelty, I think this sort of popularity of dystopic fictions speaks to an anxiety that young people feel about the future that awaits them and what I find so hopeful in these books, and in these movies is the fact that you can create change and that you can refuse to play the game and see your role change as a result, and I see also the voice of young women and their power to change the world and their world.”
Now, you’ll just have to watch the movie to see what kind of change Katniss Everdeen brings, if any, to the Capitol in this thrilling motion picture phenomenon releasing everywhere in the United States on Friday, Nov. 20.