Francis Lawrence on casting Rachel Zegler as the lead in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: "She's one of the most talented young actresses out there"

Lionsgate is all set to release the highly anticipated fifth installment of the cult-favourite The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes on 17th November 2023. With an ensemble cast including Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Tom Blythe and Rachel Zegler, the billion-dollar franchise has fans all over the world brimming with excitement since its inception. Following the journey of a young Coriolanus Snow, (previously essayed by Donald Sutherland), The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to its predecessors. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the mastermind returns to weave his magic on the big screen for the fourth time in a row.

Francis Lawrence on casting Rachel Zegler as the lead in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: “She’s one of the most talented young actresses out there”

Having already set the standard extremely high with an incredulous star cast in the past Hunger Games, the makers had to ensure that every actor was a perfect fit for their role. So, when the time came to choose the first tribute, the makers left no stone unturned.

Talking about casting Rachel Zegler as Lucy and the four-hour meeting between the two, Director Francis Lawrence said, “I mean, you know, the thing is, she's one of the most talented young actresses out there right now. But, you know, the character of Lucy Gray is a really tricky one, right? Because she's a mercurial character. So she's emotional, but she's also damaged, and she's lived quite a lot more honestly than the character of Snow has. But she also has to be a fantastic singer. And you know, Rachel's a phenomenal singer. And so, yeah, we sat down and talked about the character and talked about the books and just had a fantastic meeting.”

Lionsgate and PVRINOX Pictures will release The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in theaters in India on November 17th, 2023.