Woody Harrelson talks The Hunger Games and his character Haymitch

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

I am pretty amped to see THE HUNGER GAMES, even though I haven’t read the books, the story seems interesting and there’s some solid talent behind the adaptation. One piece of casting that I was rather excited about was that of Woody Harrelson, who happens to be one of my favourite actors!

He’ll play the character of Haymitch, and recently he opened up a bit about the role! “He’s got a drinking problem and he’s got some issues and he’s damaged, but I didn’t want to do it totally like your typical version of an alcoholic in a movie. So I tried to keep him a little put-together. I dressed him up from what you would expect, too. That was one of my things I wanted – to make him, particularly in the Capitol, a bit of a snazzy dresser — or at least a dresser with his own style.”

From what I can understand the character has undergone a bit of a change from what was originally written, but I do like the sound of what he’s going for and how he’s interpreted the character.

“It’s good writing and it just keeps you on the edge. And making [the movie] was a fun experience with just really cool people. I was really impressed by everybody that was associated with it. The look of everything is amazing too. The wardrobe is incredible and the makeup, the [stuff] they came up with is mind-blowing. The imagination behind the hair and the makeup and set decoration, it was just really impressive. It’s the work of brilliant people.”

His words may have me a little more excited to check the film out, I hope we get another trailer soon at least. The film is due out March 23rd, so I’d say we are due some more footage, and perhaps we’ll see a bit more of Woody?

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains.

Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

THE HUNGER GAMES is directed by Gary Ross, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, the first in a trilogy published by Scholastic that has over 16 million copies in print in the United States alone, has developed a massive global following.

Harrelson stars with the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks (below), Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Wes Bentley, Toby Jones, Amandla Stenberg, Alexander Ludwig, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jacqueline Emerson, Paula Malcomson, Dayo Okeniyi, Jack Quaid, Leven Rambin, Willow Shields and Lenny Kravitz.