Suzanne Collins' first installment of The Hunger Games published the same year as the Twilight film adaptation released, which was an incredible year for avid readers. The first novel in the trilogy was taken to the big screen with the successful eponymous 2012 film and its sequels.
Katniss Everdeen was one of the dystopian world's leading figures when she made her film debut. While Katniss is one of Jennifer Lawrence's most celebrated roles, she was only one of the contenders for the part. However, it was clear to directors that she was their ideal District 12 victor. The following actors were all considered for the role before Lawrence secured it.
Emma Roberts Hadn't Starred In Big Films Yet
Other than her reputation as Julia Roberts' niece, Emma Roberts received recognition for her role as Addie Singer in the Nickolodeon teen sitcom Unfabulous in the early 2000s. Roberts later took her shot at films in Scream 4 and We're the Millers, in which she co-starred with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis. Despite her experience and connections, she still lost the part of Katniss to Lawrence.
Abigail Breslin Was Only 14 Years Old At The Time Of Her Audition
Abigail Breslin gained notoriety at a young age for her Oscar-nominated role in the 2006 film Little Miss Sunshine, alongside acting greats like Alan Arkin and Steve Carell. Breslin also starred in the 2009 post-apocalyptic film Zombieland and its 2019 sequel. She was one of the top contenders for Katniss, but shared a six-year age difference with Lawrence. The casting team decided to go with a more mature Katniss instead.
Saoirse Ronan Had Already Been Nominated For An Oscar
Like Breslin, Saoirse Ronan also got an early start in the film industry with her Oscar-nominated supporting role in the 2007 film Atonement. She later became a huge Greta Gerwig star for her lead roles in both Ladybird and the film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Ronan was 16 years old at the time, but fell short to Lawrence due to the artistic decision of an older Katniss, likely to portray her survival of various heartbreaking struggles throughout the film series.
Hailee Steinfeld Would Later Play Another Famous Archer
Hailee Steinfeld had her film breakthrough in the 2010 western True Grit, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Although, she could have jump-started her career even more if she had received the lead role as Katniss, Steinfeld doesn't need reminding of that. The future Hawkeye star told The Independent she doesn't regret how her acting résumé turned out after she lost the role to Lawrence.
Emily Browning Rejected Two Lead Roles In Famous Book Adaptations
Emily Browning almost made it big in another popular YA book fandom before she failed to appear in The Hunger Games. The Sucker Punch star was actually Stephanie Meyer's first choice as Bella Swan, before the part went to Kristen Stewart. Browning admitted in a 2011 interview with IndieWire that she had never read Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy before auditioning for the role.
Shailene Woodley Got Her Fame In Another Dystopian Series
Another popular YA dystopian book fandom was Veronica Roth's Divergent series. The books received their first film adaptation with the eponymous 2014 film, which starred Shailene Woodley in the lead role as Tris Prior. Woodley had also starred in the film adaptation of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars the same year. She could have landed in the dystopian genre earlier had her audition as Katniss gone better.
In an interview with MTV News, Woodley recalled her audition "wasn't great," but that Lawrence did an excellent job as Katniss. Apparently, the odds weren't in Woodley's favor, but Lawrence had the part in the bag considering director Gary Ross called her recruitment the "easiest casting decision" in his life, per a 2011 interview with Entertainment Weekly. It really did seem that way throughout The Hunger Games film series.