The Hunger Games: 10 Actors Almost Cast as Katniss Everdeen

The Hunger Games was arguably the last big YA movie franchise in modern cinema before these book adaptations made the move towards the series format on streaming services. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, the quadrilogy of movies was critically and commercially acclaimed, establishing the actress as a bonafide box office draw. Now, a new sequel/spinoff set in the world of Panem, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, will see its release later this year. Devoted fans are undoubtedly excited to return to their beloved dystopian world.

Based on books by Suzanne Collins, the Hunger Games franchise starred Lawrence as a fearless young woman named Katniss, who accidentally starts a revolution to bring down a flawed and violent system when she inadvertently competes in the Hunger Games. Katniss has become an icon for young girls as it wasn’t really common back then to see a heroine at the forefront of YA movies. Indeed, the role was highly coveted by many young actors like Lawrence. In fact, she almost lost it to these 10 actors.

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10

Emma Roberts

20th Television

Known for her work in the horror and thriller genre, such as American Horror Story, Scream 4 or The Nerve, it turns out that Emma Roberts has always been a big fan of the YA genre. So much so that she was one of the many actresses up for the role of Katniss Everdeen when Hunger Games was being developed. Sadly, it didn’t work out, but Roberts doesn’t hold any hard feelings. “I was definitely interested in it, but it was just one of those things that didn’t end up happening. But I’m really excited to see the movie. I read all the books a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve got all my friends hooked, so it’s totally cool, and I can’t wait to see it,” she said to MTV.

Related: MCU: 11 Actors Almost Cast as Captain America

9

Abigail Breslin

Searchlight Pictures

Abigail Breslin was only 14 when she was all over the news for different reasons. Back then, her latest film Rango came out, in which she starred alongside Johnny Depp, then she was cast in the movie Innocence, and new rumors had also surfaced about the Hunger Games producers eyeing her for the role of Katniss. In an interview with MTV, she admitted, “Obviously, I would love to play Katniss. All the characters in the books are amazing. It’s a very cool book. The characters in it are very strong and very cool. It’s an amazing series.” Ultimately, it came down to Breslin being too young for the part.

8

Saoirse Ronan

Sony Pictures Releasing

Saoirse Ronan has gone on to have an impressive career — especially in period dramas like Greta Gerwig’s Little Women — even without getting cast as Katniss Everdeen. Of course, it would definitely be an interesting sight, right? Ronan’s Hanna was just about to get released when the news of her name being tossed around at the Hunger Games headquarters began. They were already juggling the idea of Lawrence as Katniss when Ronan auditioned. In the end, it didn’t work out.

7

Hailee Steinfeld

Marvel Studios

Hailee Steinfeld truly doesn’t need to worry about having lost the role of Katniss Everdeen; she would later get a badass role whose weapon is an arrow and a bow, anyway. Indeed, the actress is now widely recognized for her portrayal of Kate Bishop in the Hawkeye Disney+ series, Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and many more. But back then, she was one of the front-runners for the role of Katniss. When asked about losing the role years later, Steinfeld put it beautifully (via Metro): “There are so many parts that I wanted or didn’t get… But I think, weirdly, it’s the same feeling of having missed every high school dance and prom, and yet I somehow found my way to the Met Gala. I feel like I’ve made up for it.”

6

Emily Browning

Warner Bros.

Australian actress Emily Browning, mostly known for her roles in Sucker Punch and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, also revealed she was one of the actresses up for the role of Katniss. Browning had already received harsh criticism for turning down the role of Bella Swan in Twilight. She apparently didn’t even bother to audition for that one, even though she was Stephanie Meyer’s personal choice. As for Hunger Games, she did actually try out for the role. Per MTV, she said, “I read for [‘Hunger Games’] a couple of times. But I think every single girl in Hollywood read for it a couple of times to be honest. I’ve never read the book to be honest — which I know is terrible of me.”

5

Shailene Woodley

Lionsgate

Even though she eventually didn’t land the role of Katniss, Shailene Woodley became the face of another major YA franchise later on: Divergent. The actress was reluctant to join teen blockbusters; she nearly turned down the role of Tris in Divergent as well. Her reasoning? Speaking with the Independent, she said: “Money has never been my motivation. With a big franchise like this, you commit yourself to three years of work. Also, you could see how it affected Kristen Stewart and Jennifer Lawrence and I just wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted.” She eventually realized she was making decisions based on fear and ended up landing the role that would lead her to worldwide recognition.

Related: Twilight: 9 Actors Almost Cast as Edward Cullen

4

Chloe Grace Moretz

Sony Pictures Releasing

The Fifth Wave star Chloe Grace Moretz was, at some point, leading the pack for the role of Katniss Everdeen. Unlike the other candidates, there’s actually a video of Moretz’s interview and the audition for the role of the Hunger Games protagonist. Other than, there isn’t a lot about why Moretz eventually lost the inside track to star in the franchise, but she went on to have a successful career nevertheless.

3

Kaya Scodelario

Gotham Group

Most of these actresses ended up finding their way into a popular YA franchise one way or another, as the previous actors on the list can prove, and Kaya Scodelario is one of them. First known as Effie in the teenage TV series Skins, she later became widely known as Teresa from the Maze Runner franchise. But before all of this, Scodelario actually read and auditioned for the role of Katniss Everdeen and was apparently pretty distraught after losing the part.

2

Lyndsy Fonseca

The CW

Nikita actress Lyndsy Fonseca was also one of the actresses who auditioned for the role that eventually went to Lawrence. Only two years back did she end up speaking out about the experience after an article was posted about who could have gotten the role of Katniss. She wrote on her Instagram story: “I remember sitting with Emily Browning in the director’s house waiting for our turn. She looked like a doll and I couldn’t stop staring at her [gorgeous] face, and she was super sweet. I’ve been a fan since. We both [obviously] did not get it. That’s ok!” That’s one losing spirit.

1

Isabelle Fuhrman

Lionsgate

Isabelle Fuhrman is the only actress on this list that ended up landing a role in the Hunger Games one way or the other. Although she didn’t get to play Katniss, she did play the character of Clove, a young girl from the wealthier districts. She opened up about the experience to MTV: “From page one, I was like, ‘Oh, I want to be Katniss so badly.’ That’s what I wrote in [a] letter to Gary, how much I wanted to play Katniss. I went in and actually auditioned for her, but I was too young because I [was] 14.” It’s strange they thought 14 was too young when the book character was around that age as well.