Vanity Fair’s editor, Krista Smith has recently spoken to Gary Ross and asked him about working with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson. The Hunger Games director shared his thoughts on Katniss, as powerful character as well and revealed why Jennifer is perfect to play Katniss. Read the following excerpt of the interview if you want to know more about upcoming The Hunger Games movie.
How did you get Jennifer to play Katniss?
I was just a fan. When you do what I do, any time you see an actor like this emerge?I think everybody?s head sort of snapped, you know? Both from Winter?s Bone and other work that she?s done, I was just always very aware of her. And then I had a meeting with her, and I was just as impressed, and then she came in and read for us and she sort of blew me away. But I wasn?t totally surprised, because I think that an actor like this comes along, you know, once a generation.
I saw her in Poker House?that crazy Lori Petty movie. My friend Selma Blair plays the mother, and so I happened to go to a screening of it and remember going, ?Who is this girl??
Exactly. You have that response with everything?even The Beaver, you go, ?Oh my God.? She has so much depth, so much power?she has so much that?s in her control at such an early age.
You also have Josh Hutcherson in the part of Peeta.
He kind of reminds me of a young Jack Lemmon. There?s this incredible versatility to him; he?s wise beyond his years, he?s sort of mature beyond his years, and there?s just such a natural ease to his acting. He?s so comfortable.
I?m reading the book now?I?m told once you start, you?re not able to stop.
Totally true. And also, [Katniss is] just such a compelling character, and her struggle and her evolution is so beautiful, and that?s what I?m saying. You see the character emerge and grow and have so much strength?she?s a very important character for kids, because she starts off purely in a fight for survival, and by the end of the story, she learns there?s so much more. There [are] things more important than merely surviving?like, what does it mean to actually live?
And Jennifer is just a great fit for it.
She has such command and control of what she?s doing, which is a raw, emotional power?it?s like looking into a blast furnace at times, and it literally can knock you back in your seat. And the rest of the cast, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland and Woody Harrelson, were amazing. I was just so lucky.
Full interview with Gary Ross you can read on VanityFair.com.
