The Hunger Games – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes tells the backstory of future President Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth). He is supposed to mentor District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) to success in the 10th Hunger Games, 64 years before Katniss’s first arena appearance.
A new group of Hunger Games stars: Hunter Schafer and Josh Andrés Rivera in an interview
Euphoria star Hunter Schafer and West Side Story actor Josh Andres Rivera play the most important supporting characters in the new Hunger Games film: Snow’s beloved cousin, the fashion designer Tigris, and Snow’s best friend Sejanus Plinth, who doubts the accuracy of the games. Moviepilot met the two new Hunger Games stars before the film’s release to ask them about the Hunger Games prequel.
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The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes: Tigirs (Hunter Schafer) & Sejanus (Josh Andrés Rivera)
Moviepilot: In The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes you play characters who were fan favorites in the original book. Did you have any favorite characters in the previous Hunger Games films?
Josh Andres Rivera: I was such a Peeta supporter. I loved Peeta! I remember the moment where they had to do the assessment exams in the first Hunger Games movie. And he threw this ball thing and I cheered, ‘Yeah! He’s so strong!’
Hunter Schafer: I remember back then Hunger Games had a similar fan culture to Twi– oh, can I say that? Well, anyway, that you belonged to a team: either Team Peeta or Team Gale. I was Team Gale. At least at the beginning. I think it was an ‘aesthetic’ thing for me back then. [lacht]
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place 64 years before the first Hunger Games film, but has many Easter eggs and references. Do you have any favorite references?
Josh Andres Rivera:
A very obvious reference but one I really appreciate is this herb they pick. And then they casually drop: ‘I prefer to call it Katniss.’
Hunter Schafer: Yes, that was cool. Mine is more of a visual Easter egg. When I was filming in the Snows’ apartment, there was this stained glass on the wall. These are the Snow family portraits that can be seen in some shots.
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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: The Snows in their Capitol apartment (Tigris right)
Josh Andres Rivera: There are also many characters who share last names with people from the original trilogy. For example with the mentors: Arachne Crane – Seneca Crane.
Hunter Schafer: Oh my God! I didn’t even notice that until now.
Would you say yours?
two Characters Tigris and Sejanus are the conscience of the new Hunger Games film?
Josh Andres Rivera: Yes, I think that’s Sejanus’ function: to be a moral compass. He’s basically your average modern person thrown into this crazy, dystopian world. I think that’s why he has such a strong fan base: he’s the one you can identify with the most. He believes in the good in everyone and that humanity can improve. The tragic thing about him is that he really doesn’t understand that no one but him sees how fundamentally inhumane the world of Panem is.
Hunter Schafer: Tigris is not so much interested in politics, but rather family-oriented. That’s what she fights for. Even to the point where she would do morally reprehensible things for it. This is important for them. That is her Moral.
Hunter, you also have a creative side and almost went to art college. Now you play a brilliant fashion designer – was that the perfect role for you?
Hunter Schafer: Yes. Usually actors are afraid of typecasting. But the trend of fashion-forward roles in my casts is definitely something I think is cool. And that’s just the surface, serving as a survival tactic and armor for Tigris, when in reality it has admirable depth.
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Tigris in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes & Mockingjay 2
In Mockingjay 2 we didn’t see too much of Tigris: we meet Eugenie Bondurant as the tiger woman in the Capitol who hides Katniss. Have you ever imagined slipping into this full body makeup?
Hunter Schafer: I was very curious about it. I was a big fan of the Hunger Games books *, but at my first audition I hadn’t read Suzanne Collins’ new novel * and didn’t know which version of Tigris I would play. But I would definitely be there if this transformation happened one day! I’d like to return for another chapter in Tigris’ life and see what happens after that. I want to know how she becomes the Tiger Lady!
If you had to choose in the world of Panem, would you rather live in the Districts or the Capitol?
Hunter Schafer: In terms of lifestyle, I would have to choose the Capitol. [lacht]
Josh Andres Rivera: If I had the choice, I would move to the Capitol too… only it feels so bad to say that! [lacht] But to be afraid every year of being selected for the Hunger Games during the harvest?! Well, at my age [über 18 Jahre] it would no longer be a danger. But it would break my heart so much. It would all be terrible!
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Hunger Games newcomer: Sejanus Plinth (Josh Andrés Rivera)
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is also a psychological film that deals with the human condition. Do you have a more positive or negative attitude towards humanity? Are we more good or bad?
Josh Andres Rivera: In my opinion, every human being has the drive to do something for the community: we help each other by helping each other. There is a trend to do selfish things when it only benefits us. But what’s good for the group is also good for us in the long run.
Hunter Schafer: I usually vacillate between cynical and hopeful. But I don’t believe in “evil.” I think a lot of the fun of our acting job is playing people who do really bad things. We must try to understand how and why something happens. And that is the function of this film.
Hunger Games is a big brand and you are now part of it. Would you like to be a part of other big film franchises that you are fans of in the future?
Josh Andres Rivera: I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. What was so beautiful about this Hunger Games film was that it was a story with lots of new characters. And with a thematically new message. Because otherwise there are always monumentally large shoes to fill when a franchise already has a large fan base. I think we were lucky there.
Hunter Schafer: I would spontaneously say: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (delusion). This is a franchise, right? I would like to play along with that.
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