It looks like we might have a pair of winners in the Movieline-approved battle royale for the male leads in Hunger Games . Deadline reports that Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are the front-runners to play Gale and Peeta in the Gary Ross-directed film. “I love Peeta,” Hutcherson told EW last month . “The character is so much who I am — self deprecating, a people person. And he’d be such a great character to play! Like in the third book? Oh my God.” Developing… [ Deadline ]
Josh Hutcherson, Alex Pettyfer and Hunter Parrish appear to be the front-runners, but nothing is confirmed yet. By Christina Garibaldi Alex Pettyfer Photo: Getty Images Last week, MTV News exclusively revealed that Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence landed the highly coveted role of Katniss Everdeen in the film adaptation of “The Hunger Games.” Experts and fans were mixed on the thought of the tall, blond 20-year-old taking on the role of the 16-year-old, dark-haired heroine, but it seems like Jennifer can rest easy for now, since the debate has shifted to who will play fellow Hunger Games competitor Peeta. “It’s definitely going to be someone close to her age,” Down With the Capitol administrator Theresa Morgan told MTV News. “I think it will make it easier to cast someone for Peeta.” Many names have already been thrown into the mix, including “The Kids Are All Right” star Josh Hutcherson , who confessed he has met with director Gary Ross. “I love Peeta,” Hutcherson told Entertainment Weekly. “The character is so much who I am — self-deprecating, a people person. And he’d be such a great character to play!” Hutcherson seems to be a front-runner for the District 12 male tribute, but he will have some stiff competition from Alex Pettyfer and fan favorite Hunter Parrish . “We love Josh Hutcherson,” the Hob administrator Megan Scott said. “There’s Alex, who I really like, but Hunter is a huge fan favorite. When I think of these guys with Jennifer, they all go well together.” “Our whole site thinks Hunter will be perfect,” Morgan said. “He looks the role and acts the role. A lot of people are thinking he sounds like Peeta.” Ross might agree, since Parrish recently told E! Online he has met with the movie’s producers. “I’d be grateful to get the opportunity,” he said. “Like, really grateful. It would be amazing.” Not everyone’s convinced that these leading contenders are right for the coveted “Hunger Games” role. “My favorite for Peeta is Callan McAuliffe,” Mockingjay.net administrator Kimmy West said about the “I Am Number Four” newcomer. “I think he has the acting chops, he’s relatively unknown, and he has that warm quality that Peeta has.” Who do you think should get the role of Peeta in “The Hunger Games”? Tell us in the comments below! Check out everything we’ve got on “Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos Meet Katniss From ‘Hunger Games’: Jennifer Lawrence
A long list of young actresses, including Hailee Steinfeld and Jennifer Lawrence, are up for the coveted role of Katniss. By Amy Wilkinson Jennifer Lawrence Photo: Getty Images In the dystopian world imagined by Suzanne Collins in her best-selling young-adult trilogy “The Hunger Games,” anxious teens hope against all odds that they can avoid the titular, televised fight to the death decreed by their government. But in the real world, Hollywood’s rising stars are battling to get into the arena for the upcoming adaptation of the series’ first novel due out March 23, 2012. And no role is more hotly contested than that of 16-year-old District 12 tribute Katniss Everdeen. Casting speculation has run rampant since the news came in March 2009 that the novel’s screen rights had been purchased by Lionsgate. U.K. “Skins” star Kaya Scodelario was an early fan favorite for the role and, along with , “Nikita” star Lyndsy Fonseca was reportedly among the first to receive a script. Slowly but surely, however, actresses from their early teens to their mid-20s have begun hungrily eying the part of the 16-year-old heroine. “Katniss is my homegirl,” “Kick-Ass” star Chloe Moretz told MTV News back in October 2010. “I would absolutely die to be in ‘The Hunger Games.’ I’m just sayin’ that.” A few weeks later, “Vampire Diaries” star Malese Jow spoke with Hollywood Crush , expressing a similar sentiment. “I would do my absolute best,” she promised. “I would give it 2,000 percent for everyone. I know there are some die-hard fans out there.” A couple of young actresses have gone so far as to tweet pictures of themselves done up as Katniss (and in some cases, sporting her signature bow and arrow). For Halloween 2010, “Eclipse” star Jodelle Ferland dressed as the tribute, though she downplayed the stunt tweeting, “Don’t take it so seriously … I’m not trying to say, ‘Hey, look at me. I should be Katniss.’ ” More recently, “Camp Rock” actress Alyson Stoner posted various photos of herself dressed in Katniss’ iconic Hunger Games uniform and climbing walls as part of her “training.” Though plenty of up-and-coming actresses have thrown their name into the ring, producer Nina Jacobson told The L.A. Times early on that a known name wasn’t necessary for the part. “It really comes down to finding that person who can capture the physicality, the vulnerability and the toughness,” she said. “She’s a paradoxical character and you need somebody who has the range to capture all of those dimensions.” In a piece in The Wall Street Journal detailing the hunt for the “next Hailee Steinfeld,” the paper went behind the scenes of several upcoming YA adaptations, including “The Hunger Games,” in which casting director Debra Zane explained that an open casting call had gone out for Katniss (Caucasian, between the ages of 15 and 20, someone who could portray “underfed but strong” and “naturally pretty underneath her tomboyishness”), and that she’d seen about 50 girls so far. Nonetheless, last week Variety reported that Lionsgate had three Oscar-nominated actresses in their crosshairs: Abigail Breslin, Hailee Steinfeld and Jennifer Lawrence (with Lawrence as the front-runner). Steinfeld revealed to MTV News on the Oscars red carpet that she had already met with director Gary Ross, saying, “It’s definitely something that we’re taking one day at a time and making sure that everything is in place.” Entertainment Weekly quickly filed a report that conflicted with Variety ‘s, citing sources at Lionsgate who said that there was not yet a front-runner for the role and that about 30 actresses had been seen for the part, including a few who hadn’t yet gained much “Hunger Games” heat (like “The Lovely Bones” star Saoirse Ronan). Fan site The Hob followed up with Scodelario’s people (one of the actresses included in EW ‘s report), who said she had not in fact, read for the role yet. Ultimately, Lionsgate’s pick for Katniss will influence which of Hollywood’s young actors will be eyed for the roles of fellow Hunger Games contestant Peeta and Katniss’ childhood friend Gale (age is a big factor here). Nonetheless, several actors, including Liam Hemsworth and Alex Pettyfer, have told MTV News they have met with the studio about the Peeta role. It will be a “Hunger Games” fight to the finish, indeed. Who do you hope the odds are in favor of to play Katniss? For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .
Sad news for fans of over-hype: The royal family will not allow Rupert Murdoch to broadcast the already over-hyped wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 3-D, despite the fact that the Murdoch-owned Sky News has the ability to do so. “I’m afraid I have to say that we have decided not to progress with 3-D coverage of the service on this occasion,” said Prince Charles’ press secretary in a statement. (Any chance her name is Moneypenny?) Fingers crossed for a crappy post-conversion 3-D DVD release spearheaded by M. Night Shyamalan. [ NYO ]
If you enter Movieline’s Oscar poll and select your choices for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress, you can win a MacBook Air, iPods, or plenty of other prizes. Who knows? Maybe I’ll win the damn MacBook Air. I don’t see a conflict of interest at all. You can’t make me see it either. Join the fun after the jump.
As the YA-addicted world awaits the conclusion of The Twilight Saga , internet storms are a-brewin’ over the next teen franchise with Twilight -level potential: Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy. But with casting speculation at a fever pitch (director Gary Ross should anoint his chosen ones any week now), it’s time for some real talk: Most of your favorite young thespians aren’t going to make the cut.
