The Hunger Games is officially back with a brand new prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, which tells the story of a young Haymitch Abernathy as he braves the arena of the second Quarter Quell. A film adaptation is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026, and will feature several newcoming actors who hope to make names for themselves after joining the iconic post-apocalyptic franchise. They join the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth, who rocketed to superstardom after starring in The Hunger Games.
Once the hottest movie franchise of its time, The Hunger Games launched the careers of several talented actors who are still working today. Many young actors starred in minor roles in the quadrilogy, going on to do bigger and better things later on in their careers. As such, a Hunger Games rewatch may surprise viewers with the familiar faces they find along the way.
Jack Quaid Played Marvel in The Hunger Games
Jack Quaid Is Known for The Boys, Scream, and More
Jack Quaid landed his first major film role in the first Hunger Games movie. Therein, he stars as the male tribute from District 1, Marvel. Marvel joins the Career tributes during the 74th Hunger Games, where he takes part in the extended hunt for Katniss Everdeen. Along the way, he is responsible for killing Katniss’s ally, Rue, prompting her to return the favor by shooting Marvel with a bow and arrow. In Catching Fire, Katniss relives Marvel’s death as part of her post-traumatic hallucinations after surviving the Hunger Games.
Since his small role in The Hunger Games, Jack Quaid has gone on to make quite a name for himself. The son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, the up-and-coming actor is best known for playing Hughie Campbell in Prime Video’s hit superhero series The Boys. Quaid recently appeared in such notable films as Scream, Companion, and Novocaine, the last of which featured him in the main role. The young actor has also been heavily involved in voiceover work, lending his voice to Brad Boimler in Star Trek: Lower Decks, Superman in My Adventures with Superman, and Spider-Gwen’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Amandla Stenberg Played Rue in The Hunger Games
Amandla Stenberg Is Known for The Acolyte and The Hate U Give
Amandla Stenberg broke viewers’ hearts in the first Hunger Games movie as Rue, a twelve-year-old girl from District 11 who is forced to fight to the death in an arena of children from all over Panem. During the 74th Hunger Games, Rue teams up with Katniss Everdeen, only to meet a gruesome fate at the hands of the District 1 boy. Rue’s death and Katniss’s mourning thereof serve as sparks that help light the fire of rebellion in District 11, as depicted in Catching Fire.
Only fourteen years old at the time of The Hunger Games‘ release, Stenberg has gone on to star in several exciting franchises as well as multiple indie projects. Her most notable role was as the lead character in the 2018 film The Hate U Give, which tackled the sensitive topic of modern-day prejudice even among younger generations. More recently, Stenberg starred in the Star Wars Disney+ series The Acolyte, which ran for one season before its cancellation. Other notable projects starring Stenberg include Everything, Everything, Dear Evan Hansen, and Bodies Bodies Bodies. She also recently voiced the character of Margo Kess/Spider-Byte in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, a role she is expected to reprise in the upcoming sequel.
Wes Bentley Played Seneca Crane in The Hunger Games
Wes Bentley Is Known for Yellowstone and Interstellar
Wes Bentley has a crucial role in the first Hunger Games movie as Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker of the 74th Games. Crane is only mentioned in the books, but has an expanded role in the film, as audiences get a sneak peek into the Gamemaker’s control room. Crane proves to be incompetent in his position, paving the way for Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark to break the game, allowing two winners. His failure leads to poetic retribution on the part of President Snow.
Only a few years after starring in The Hunger Games, Bentley played a supporting role in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. Since then, he has continued to appear in smaller roles in massive movies, including Mission: Impossible — Fallout and Pete’s Dragon. Bentley is best known for playing Jamie Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s hit neo-Western series Yellowstone, appearing in all five seasons of the series. His other television work includes American Horror Story. He also recently voiced Niander Wallace Jr. in the animated series Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
Isabelle Fuhrman Played Clove in The Hunger Games
Isabelle Fuhrman Is Known for the Orphan Franchise
Isabelle Fuhrman has a small role in The Hunger Games, where she plays District 2 tribute Clove. Clove joins the Career Pack during the 74th Hunger Games, where she encounters Katniss several times. She nearly manages to kill the eventual victor during a Feast at the Cornucopia, but is unceremoniously offed by District 11 tribute Thresh in revenge for Rue’s death.
Furhman is best known for a role she originated long before The Hunger Games. The child actress played Esther, a murderous young girl in the horror cult classic Orphan. More recently, Fuhrman reprised this iconic role in the prequel Orphan: First Kill using de-aging technology. Isabelle Fuhrman’s more recent work includes the action-thriller Unit 234 and Kevin Costner’s pet project, Horizon: An American Saga.
Toby Jones Played Claudius Templesmith in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire
Toby Jones Appears in Many Major Film Franchises
Toby Jones has a small recurring role in the Hunger Games franchise. He makes his first appearance in the 2012 film, playing Claudius Templesmith, the head announcer of the Hunger Games. Alongside Stanley Tucci’s Caesar Flickerman, Claudius commentates on the Games as they take place, also stepping in to make announcements where necessary. He briefly returns in Catching Fire but is nowhere to be found in Mockingjay.
Toby Jones is the kind of actor everyone has seen in a film before, even if they can’t quite place his name. Some of his more notable work includes appearing as Dr. Arnim Zola in Captain America: The First Avenger, a role he reprised in The Winter Soldier and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He also had a small role in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, playing Dr. Jones’s one-time companion, Basil Shaw. On the more dramatic side, Jones also played Percy Alleline in the 2011 film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Leven Rambin Played Glimmer in The Hunger Games
Leven Rambin Is Known for Fire Country and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
Leven Rambin has a notable role in the first Hunger Games movie, in which she plays District 1 tribute Glimmer. Like the other Career tributes, Glimmer has trained for the Hunger Games from a young age and plans to kill everyone in her path to victory. Unfortunately for her, she is caught in a swarm of tracker jackers when Katniss Everdeen drops their hive directly into the Career camp. Glimmer becomes the first person whom Katniss kills during the Games, even if indirectly.
After appearing in The Hunger Games, Rambin starred as Clarisse la Rue in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. She is, however, more well-known for her television work in recent years, which includes roles in The Sarah Connor Chronicles, One Tree Hill, Gone, and more. She is perhaps most famous for one of her most recent projects, playing Audrey James in the CBS hit Fire Country.
Alan Ritchson Played Gloss in Catching Fire
Alan Ritchson Is Known for Reacher, Fast X, and More
Catching Fire introduces a much broader cast of characters for the Hunger Games franchise, comprised of many recognizable actors who went on to recur throughout the rest of the series. However, one of the sequel’s one-off introductions ended up making it much bigger than anyone expected. Alan Ritchson plays District 1 tribute Gloss, who is one of the Victors who re-enter the arena during the Third Quarter Quell, only to perish in a confrontation with Katniss Everdeen and his allies.
After his brief appearance in Catching Fire, Alan Ritchson grew to become one of the most in-demand action stars of the 2020s. His biggest role thus far is that of Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s Reacher, which currently has aired three seasons. Ritchson also plays villainous agent Aimes in Fast X and its upcoming sequel. While reports are unconfirmed, many fans even have him as a favorite to play Batman in James Gunn’s DCU, a role which he has claimed to be open to.
Elden Henson Played Pollux in Mockingjay
Elden Henson Is Known for Daredevil
Elden Henson plays Pollux in The Hunger Games, appearing in the last two films of the franchise, Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2. Pollux is a member of Cressida’s film crew who use District 13’s resources to promote Katniss Everdeen as the Mockingjay, symbol of rebellion against the Capitol. Pollux is an escaped Avox from the Capitol who was rendered mute by the tyrannical dictators of the dystopian Panem. Although his brother Castor does not survive the rebellion, Pollux presumably goes on to live a full life after helping overthrow the Capitol.
Long before joining the Hunger Games franchise, Elden Henson starred as Fulton Reed in the Mighty Ducks trilogy. However, he is best known for one of his most recent television roles. In 2015, Henson made his debut as Franklin «Foggy» Nelson in Netflix’s Daredevil series. Henson reprised the role of Foggy in the crossover miniseries The Defenders and later in the 2025 Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again. The actor is also confirmed to appear in the upcoming second season of Born Again, which will premiere in March of 2026.
Natalie Dormer Played Cressida in Mockingjay
Natalie Dormer Is Known for Game of Thrones and The Tudors
Natalie Dormer enters the Hunger Games franchise beginning with Mockingjay — Part 1. Dormer plays Cressida, an escaped Capitol rebel who works closely with Plutarch Heavensbee. She directs the many «propos» that feature Katniss Everdeen as the revolution’s «Mockingjay.» Later, Cressida joins Katniss on a mission to the Capitol as the rebellion comes to an end.
Natalie Dormer is best remembered for her fan-favorite role as Queen Marjorie in HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones. However, her continued television work continues to showcase her talents. Dormer also portrayed Anne Boleyn in The Tudors and multiple roles in the miniseries Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. Of course, many fans also know her for her brief but memorable cameo in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Mahershala Ali Played Boggs in Mockingjay
Mahershala Ali Went on to Win 2 Academy Awards
Mahershala Ali has a surprisingly small role in the Hunger Games franchise for an actor of his caliber. Ali appears in both Mockingjay movies playing Boggs, a District 13 resident who is assigned to protect Katniss Everdeen during her mission to the Capitol. Unfortunately, Boggs is killed after stepping on a landmine, leaving Katniss to watch as he dies.
Ali has gone on to enjoy an incredibly successful film career since The Hunger Games. The actor has two Academy Awards under his belt for his work in Moonlight and Green Book. The actor is also set to take part in multiple major film franchises, appearing in Jurassic World: Rebirth later this year and Marvel’s heavily troubled Blade reboot.
The Hunger Games
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