THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'The Hunger Games' 8 years later
Olivia Singh  Â
- "The Hunger Games," based on a book series penned by Suzanne Collins, was released in theaters on March 23, 2012.
- The movie starred Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne.
- Since the first installment was released eight years ago, the stars have gone on to appear in other movies and series, and explore different genres, like comedy and horror.
The first "Hunger Games" movie was released on March 23, 2012, and spawned three sequels based on Suzanne Collins' hit book series: "Catching Fire," "Mockingjay: Part 1," and "Mockingjay: Part 2."
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth weren't new to Hollywood when they starred in the franchise, but the success and passionate fan base further elevated their star power. In the eight years since "THG" was released, the cast has gone on to star in other shows and movies, direct projects, and even get married.
Keep reading to find out exactly what the stars of "The Hunger Games" have been up to.
Jennifer Lawrence starred as the franchise's main star and heroine, Katniss Everdeen.
She was from District 12 and later became the face of the second rebellion.
In addition to "THG," Lawrence was part of another popular franchise, "X-Men."
She reprised her role as mutant shapeshifter Raven/Mystique in "Dark Phoenix," which hit theaters in June 2019.
Lawrence is also an Oscar winner and Golden Globes recipient. In 2013, she took home the Academy Award for best actress in a leading role for her role as Tiffany in "Silver Linings Playbook." Her other notable films include "Winter's Bone," "American Hustle," and "Joy," all of which earned her Oscar nominations.
The actress has three Golden Globe wins to date (for "Silver Linings Playbook," "American Hustle," and "Joy") and a nomination for her role in "Winter's Bone."
In October 2019, Lawrence married an art gallery owner named Cooke Maroney. According to Us Weekly, the couple started dating in June 2016 after one of Lawrence's friends, Laura Simpson, introduced them.
Josh Hutcherson portrayed Peeta Mellark, who competed in the Hunger Games with Katniss.
His crush on Katniss started when he was a child, and the couple later had two kids together (a son and a daughter).
Hutcherson currently stars as Josh Futterman on Hulu's comedy series "Future Man."
His character gets visited by two people from the future and is recruited by them to help them save humanity. The show, which got renewed for a third and final season, is executive produced by Seth Rogen, who also directed a few episodes.
Hutcherson has also dabbled in directing and said that he's "addicted" to it. In 2018, he directed the music video for West Coast Massive and Brayton Bowman's "High & Low." That year, he also directed Foster the People's "Worst Nites" music video.
Liam Hemsworth played Katniss' best friend, Gale Hawthorne.
Gale and Katniss used to go hunting together. After his father died in a mining accident, he had to step up and provide for his mom and three younger siblings.
Hemsworth starred thriller series for Quibi called "Most Dangerous Game."
Hemsworth also showed off his funny side in the 2019 romantic comedy "Isn't It Romantic" with Rebel Wilson and Priyanka Chopra. He played a character named Blake, whose characteristics were reminiscent of leading men in other popular rom-coms.
Hemsworth tied the knot with pop star Miley Cyrus in December 2018 during a low-key ceremony that took place in Tennessee. In August 2019, it was revealed that Hemsworth and Cyrus broke up.
Katniss' younger sister, Primrose Everdeen, was portrayed by Willow Shields.
Prim's name was selected during the reaping, but Katniss volunteered to take her place and compete in the Hunger Games.
Shields recently starred on a Netflix ice skating drama called "Spinning Out."
The 20-year-old played Serena Baker, the younger sister of Kaya Scodelario's character, on the show. "Spinning Out" was canceled after one season.
Shields also became the youngest contestant ever on "Dancing With the Stars," at 14 years old. She appeared on season 20 with Mark Ballas.
Woody Harrelson starred as Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss and Peeta's mentor.
He won the Hunger Games when he was 16 years old.
Harrelson reprised his role as Tallahassee in the 2019 "Zombieland" sequel.
The 59-year-old also starred as Maney Gault in the movie "The Highwaymen," which was about the two men (Gault and Frank Hamer) who hunted down well-known criminals Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Champion Barrow.
You might have seen Harrelson in the 2018 Tom Hardy-led movie "Venom," "Solo: A Star Wars Story," and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (which earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor).
Katniss' stylist, Cinna, was played by Lenny Kravitz.
Cinna crafted stunning costumes for Katniss and dubbed her the "girl on fire."
Kravitz occasionally appears in movies and TV shows, but his focus lies in his well-established music career.
He portrayed James Holloway in the 2013 movie "The Butler," had a cameo in "Zoolander 2," and guest-starred on the show "Star."
The 56-year-old singer also joined Katy Perry on stage during the 2015 Super Bowl to perform a rendition of "I Kissed a Girl."
In 2018, Kravitz released his 11th studio album, titled "Raise Vibrations."
He also collaborated with the company CB2 to release a collection of furniture that showcases his unique style.
District 12 advisor Effie Trinket was portrayed by Elizabeth Banks.
She wore elaborate outfits and said the iconic line, "May the odds be ever in your favor."
Banks directed, produced, and starred in the 2019 "Charlie's Angels" reboot.
The film was released on November 1, 2019, and starred Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska.
Banks is no stranger to directing and producing. In addition to starring as Gail in the "Pitch Perfect" movies, she produced all three films and directed the second installment.
The 46-year-old actress reprised her "Wet Hot American Summer" role, Lindsay, for the 2017 revival called "Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later." She also appeared in Maroon 5's star-studded music video for "Girls Like You."
Stanley Tucci played the colorful Hunger Games host named Caesar Flickerman.
He interviewed the Hunger Games competitors.
Tucci will star in the upcoming "Kingsman" prequel.
The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Gemma Arterton, and Ralph Fiennes. Watch the trailer for "The King's Man" here.
The 59-year-old is also no stranger to popular franchises. Tucci appeared in the 2013 "Percy Jackson" sequel, "Transformers: Age of Extinction," and "Transformers: The Last Knight." He voiced Maestro Cadenza in the live-action "Beauty and the Beast" movie that starred Emma Watson, too.
In addition, Tucci has been married to Felicity Blunt, Emily Blunt's sister, since 2012. They met at Emily and Krasinski's wedding and have two children together, son Mateo and daughter Emilia.
Hunger Games announcer Claudius Templesmith was played by Toby Jones.
Claudius and Caesar shared the hosting desk together and provided commentary for the Games.
Jones voiced a character on Netflix's "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance."
The 53-year-old actor also appeared as Mr. Eversoil, an auctioneer who sold dinosaurs for a profit, in "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom." Plus, he voiced Owl in the 2018 movie "Christopher Robin."
Amandla Stenberg starred as a young tribute named Rue.
The 12-year-old formed an alliance with Katniss, and the two looked out for each other.
At 21 years old, Stenberg has been praised for being an outspoken activist.
Stenberg has made headlines for speaking out about cultural appropriation and voicing her stance on politics. In addition, she's been open about her experiences regarding racism (her mother is African-American and father is Danish) and her sexuality. In 2016, Stenberg came out as bisexual. Two years later, she told Wonderland magazine that she identifies as gay.
"I was flooded with a sense of calm and peace because everything that I struggled with or felt discomfort around finally made sense to me, and once those floodgates opened and years of pent up pain and shame were released, I found the freedom to live my best life waiting for me just underneath," she said.
Stenberg also previously revealed that she auditioned for the role of Shuri in "Black Panther," but dropped out because she felt that a darker-skinned actor should be cast instead.
In 2018, the actress starred in "The Darkest Minds" (a dystopian movie that was based on Alexandra Bracken's book series) and "The Hate U Give." The latter film was adapted from Angie Thomas' novel of the same name and focuses on a 16-year-old girl who witnesses the shooting of her childhood friend during a traffic stop.
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