Jeniffer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
It’s quite fascinating to watch you as Katniss, she is complex & emotional; how much you approach her & how much do you feel you have taken propriety of her in the film?
Katniss kind of grew along with this character; it’s an interesting thing to play the same character throughout the year and that feeling is constantly growing and changing along with you. I mean we are very different, but I take it from the books, obviously.
Katniss reacts so spontaneously. How do you approach that?
Well Katniss never really wanted to be a hero, she never really wanted to be a Mockingjay, and in the beginning of this movie they tried to kind of create this symbol for people and try to make her into this manufactured leader. They find that she is much powerful when they just leave her alone and let her be herself because she is very complex and very heroic; she is not a fake.
We will now see Katniss in District 13, how does your character react? Did you have any challenges as an actor?
As an actor, the challenge was having Katniss wake up in a brand new environment, where she has to rebuild herself from nothing. Katniss has not only left behind her old life as a District 12 victor, she has entered a world unlike any other. She has to get used to a new way of life in District 13. Everything is deeply unfamiliar and it’s all underground, so she can’t even go outside or hunt.
Julianne Moore plays District 13’s steely leader as the enigmatic Alma Coin. How was it working with her?
When I heard Julianne was going to play Coin, it was the most exciting, unbelievable news in the world. I think Julianne is one of the greatest actresses of all time. She was even more impressive in person. She is such a sweet family woman and also hilarious. Working with her was a dream come true.
Jeniffer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
Tell us the about the relationship between Katniss & Alma Coin in the movie…
Well, their relationship is complicated. They share similar ideals, but with all she’s been through, Katniss feels she cannot fully trust Coin. President Coin can see how important Katniss is to leading this rebellion, but she also doesn’t believe Katniss can actually do it. She’s still suffering from post-traumatic stress and President Coin is skeptical that using Katniss is something that she can actually control.
How is your equation with Gale now in the movie?
Katniss and Gale have such a rich history. There are so many complexities to it because before Katniss went into the Games, Gale was the only person who really understood her. Following the games, she and Peeta had this experience together that no one else, including Gale, could ever understand. She and Gale are in a very interesting place and it was nice to explore more of that.
Has there been an incredible bonding experience for all the actors especially for you, Liam and Josh?
Absolutely, I mean Josh, Liam are genuinely my best friends in the world and they are like my family. I wouldn’t have been able to go through this entire ordeal without them and I am sure they would feel the same for me.
So Francis Lawrence is back in this film. How was it working with him this time around?
Amazing, I feel self-conscious that I can’t actually say everything that is so amazing about Francis because I can’t really put it in words. He’s so unbelievably talented. He’s made these movies, it surpasses any sort of expectations anybody could have. He’s the absolute perfect person to make these movies. But he’s also the nicest, warmest man in this world. He’s calm and he creates an amazing atmosphere on set and he’s just absolutely wonderful.
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