What The Hunger Games Cast Is Doing Today

In 2008, Suzanne Collins released the dystopian novel that kept teens and adults up all night turning pages. "The Hunger Games" was such a success that four years later, it became a blockbuster film and established several stars' careers, maintained others, and sent die-hard fans of the book into a frenzy about what the cast was supposed to look like. 

Now, more than a decade since Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne contemplated running away, and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark disguised himself as a rock, the cast has moved on to other projects. Some have continued acting while others have ventured out into other industries, but one thing that will always tie the actors together is the phenomenal work they did to bring the beloved (and detested) characters from the novel to life.

If you've been wondering where Jennifer Lawrence has been in the last few years, which series Amandla Stenberg is fixing to star in, and how Elizabeth Banks took a big risk with her career, we're delving into what the cast of "The Hunger Games" has been up to since the film wrapped and what they're doing today.

2012 was the year of Jennifer Lawrence, as she followed up her performance as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games" with "House at the End of the Street," then starred in "Silver Linings Playbook," for which she won an Oscar. She carried on acting in several projects over the years, including a few poorly rated flicks, until 2019 when Lawrence suddenly disappeared from the limelight.

At the end of a nearly two-year break from filming, the actor spoke with Vanity Fair in November of 2021 about her hiatus. Referencing her last films before she took a break, she said, "I was not pumping out the quality that I should have. ... I just think everybody had gotten sick of me. I'd gotten sick of me. It had just gotten to a point where I couldn't do anything right. ... So that kind of shook me out of thinking that work or your career can bring any kind of peace to your soul," she explained.

Lawrence came back with a bang in 2021 with Netflix's star-studded "Don't Look Up," but she now had much more than her career on her mind. In October 2019, the actor married Cooke Maroney, and they welcomed their son Cy to the world in September 2022.

Liam Hemsworth, also known as the second-most famous Hemsworth brother, played Gale Hawthorne, the incredibly loyal friend of Katniss who could set up snares as well as he could smolder. While filming "The Hunger Games," the actor was also in a highly publicized on-again off-again relationship with Miley Cyrus, and, years later, fans speculated that Hemsworth cheated on her with his co-star, Jennifer Lawrence.

However, his relationship history aside, Hemsworth has had a respectable career following his portrayal of Gale. He continued acting, playing the tough guy in films like "The Expendables 2," "Empire State," and "Independence Day: Resurgence." It has admittedly been a while, though, since Hemsworth has played a beloved character adapted for the screen, but it's been confirmed that in early 2025, he will be replacing Henry Cavill in "The Witcher."

After playing Geralt for three seasons, Cavill is stepping down from the Netflix show, leaving "The Hunger Games" star to meet some high expectations. In an Instagram post from October 2022, Hemsworth gushed over the opportunity, saying, "As a 'Witcher' fan I'm over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I'm honored that he's handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf's blades for the next chapter of his adventure."

The beloved Peeta Mellark (aka the Boy with the Bread) was played by Josh Hutcherson, who got his start as a child actor. After a decade in the industry, he took on what is likely now one of his most notable roles and stuck with the cast until the final film in 2015. Since the franchise ended, Hutcherson has taken on a handful of projects, including movies like "The Disaster Artist," "Burn," and "57 Seconds," as well as a couple of television series. Over the years, it would seem the actor's work has slowed down some, but there may be a reason for that.

In speaking with Entertainment Tonight in 2020, Hutcherson explained how great it's been to watch the cast go off in different directions and see where they've ended up. But, he added, "When you do something like 'The Hunger Games,' it is difficult to break out of that and it's difficult to not get boxed in. ... I've been very cautious to not do anything that I felt wasn't what I wanted to be doing. ... I'd rather not work and wait until I can find ... the kind of projects that I want [to do.]" Thankfully, Hutcherson is far from finished with his work in Hollywood and has several films in the works as of this writing, including "Five Nights at Freddy's."

Effie Trinket, the District 12 tributes' overly bubbly escort, was full of style and couldn't have been played by anyone better than Elizabeth Banks. She has been acting since the late '90s, so while her "Hunger Games" character was just one of many brilliant roles for her, it is one she'll always be remembered for.

That said, acting isn't the only trick Banks has up her sleeve, as she is also an accomplished director. After directing a few shorts, "Pitch Perfect 2," and 2019's "Charlie's Angels," she took her biggest risk yet with a comedic horror movie about a giant bear who goes on a rampage after ingesting an exorbitant amount of drugs. Speaking with Variety ahead of the film's release, Banks remarked, "'Cocaine Bear' is a ginormous risk. This could be a career-ender for me."

When the movie was released, it grossed more than was projected and brought in a whopping $23 million during its opening weekend. Speaking with Time in February 2023, Banks explained, "I knew that if I did it right it would become this very entertaining, heartfelt, fun, energetic movie." While she hasn't had success with all of her directorial efforts, she definitely got "Cocaine Bear" right.

Despite his character Haymitch Abernathy's unpleasant nature, Woody Harrelson's bright blue eyes and laid-back southern twang win us over every time. He's been a staple in the entertainment industry since the '80s, but since "The Hunger Games" was released, Harrelson has starred in smash hits like "Now You See Me," "True Detective," and "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." While he is still consistently showing up in movie theaters and on our TV screens, he's also been an advocate for a range of philanthropic causes.

Back in the day, as a self-proclaimed anarchist, Harrelson did a fair amount of activism around eco-friendly habits, marijuana legalization, and the prevention of deforestation. More recently he released a documentary about regenerative agriculture, and he's also been outspoken about other issues.

In speaking with The New York Times Magazine in February 2023, Harrelson ranted about something that had been bothering him for some time. "I don't think that anybody should have the right to demand that you're forced to do the testing, forced to wear the mask and forced to get vaccinated three years on. ... That's not a free country," he explained.

Our hearts all broke for little Rue, the youngest contestant in the 74th Hunger Games. It was Amandla Stenberg's breakout role, and the actor — who uses they/them pronouns — has been a rising star ever since. It seems that come 2024, those who haven't been aware of Stenberg are about to see them everywhere, as they're set to star in the next "Star Wars" installment, a series called "The Acolyte" that will explore more of the dark side.

Stenberg has often been a social justice advocate and spoken out against racism, so it seems only fitting that they have also highlighted pressing issues around the lack of representation in "Star Wars" and the franchise's genre. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly in July 2023, they said, "When it comes to the world of fantasy and sci-fi in general, it hasn't felt like a safe space always for people of color. ... So to be in any way, shape, or form a part of the wave that is ushering in inclusion and safety for Black nerds, it's my dream come true."

Although she didn't have the largest part in "The Hunger Games," playing the unlucky Primrose Everdeen whom Katniss volunteers in place of, Willow Shields went on to wow us in later installments of the series. She was just a kid when she landed her breakout role as Prim, for which she is undoubtedly most recognized, but Shields has gone on to act in other projects as she's grown up, including the Netflix series "Spinning Out."

Unfortunately, while her career may be blossoming, Shields has had some difficulty in her personal life. In April 2023, she shared a post on Instagram and explained to her followers that she was a victim of revenge porn. "I'm being blackmailed and extorted for nude photos of myself, something private that was never meant to be shared with the whole world. I'm taking back the control and sharing it with you first. ... I will not stand for any slut shaming, this is my body, and I will share it with whomever I choose," the caption read, alongside a nude selfie of herself.

The incident reminded commenters of when Jennifer Lawrence also endured a photo leak back in 2014, as some remarked how devastating it is that it's still an issue nearly a decade later. However, Shields demonstrated courage and strength in her post despite enduring the traumatic event.

Who could forget Cinna, Katniss' stylist with the most incredible gold eyeliner? Younger fans of "The Hunger Games" may not have recognized him, but older viewers definitely spotted legendary musician Lenny Kravitz in this role. The film served as his second silver screen performance, as his film debut was in 2009's "Precious," but he's since acted a few more times.

Still, music is clearly Kravitz's passion after dominating the '90s and '00s rock, blues, and funk spaces, and he's been teasing the 2024 release of his album, "Blue Electric Light." In an April 2023 interview with GQ, the singer spoke about his evolving process for creating new music. "It's a different business, there's really no rules anymore — it's just everybody doing everything in any kind of way. But for me creatively, it's the same. I like to let it just be what it wants to be, and then I go down that road," he remarked.

It's hard not to love Stanley Tucci, especially when he portrayed the flamboyant and incredibly superficial Caesar Flickerman in "The Hunger Games." Throughout the films, his changing hair, makeup, and costumes never drew attention away from his incredible performance as the always-grinning host, but that's no surprise. We've witnessed Tucci's undeniable talent countless times throughout his 30-plus years in the industry, and it seems that all of his work on scripted shows and films has finally led up to his passion project.

Raised in an Italian-American home, food was always an important part of the actor's life. Speaking with Today in April 2023, Tucci shared how his love for Italian cuisine transformed into his own food and travel show, "Searching for Italy." He said, "I want to break down Italy region by region and tell the story of that region and Italy as a whole through the prism of food. ... I feel an obligation to the audience to continue it because it makes them so happy." The show debuted during lockdown, giving viewers the ability to travel vicariously through Tucci. But now that the show has won two Emmy awards, Tucci is optimistic that the show will continue on successfully.

He may be nearing 90 years old, but Donald Sutherland is showing no signs of slowing down, carrying on his six-decade-long acting career. He played the white-bearded President Snow in "The Hunger Games," embodying the ruthless dictator with a cold and powerful demeanor. After Sutherland had taken on the role of the film's primary antagonist, he continued working on other films and television series like "Crossing Lines," "Ad Astra," and "Mr. Harrigan's Phone."

In a 2018 interview with Anderson Cooper for CBS News, Sutherland broke down his process as a veteran of the industry, now with 200 credits to his name. "I don't find [a role]. It finds me. I mean, I will read it. And suddenly, it starts churning around inside me. And, then, it gets violent. And, then, it gets loving. And it's an extraordinary thing. It gets more and more and more exciting. It's delicious," he said.

The actor still has more projects to add to his filmography, and in April 2023, it was announced that he would be working with Taylor Sheridan of "Yellowstone" fame on his latest western series, "Lawmen: Bass Reeves." Sutherland was cast as the domineering Judge Isaac Parker, for which he's sure to channel some of his President Snow energy.

Wes Bentley undoubtedly had the coolest facial hair in "The Hunger Games," as he played Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker who upped the drama for viewers by rigging the Games. If the actor seems familiar, you've probably seen him in one of the many works he starred in afterward, like "Interstellar," "American Horror Story," or as Jamie Dutton in the wildly popular "Yellowstone." What you might not know though, is that before he found monumental success, Wes Bentley managed to overcome addiction.

Speaking with Men's Health in March 2023, the actor detailed hitting rock bottom, attributing it to "Hard drugs. Hard partying." He explained, "You're in clubs and you're at after-parties, and there's cocaine, and eventually it became heroin." Bentley's debt piled up, he wasn't taking his career seriously, and he lost everything. Thankfully though, after meeting his wife, he got sober and was given a second shot by the casting director who had originally landed him a role in "American Beauty," as he was then working on "The Hunger Games." After playing Seneca Crane, Bentley's work flourished and he landed perhaps his greatest role yet on "Yellowstone" in 2018, and he has returned for every season.

Before she played Clove, the District 2 tribute who was adept with knives and nearly killed Katniss, Isabelle Fuhrman established herself in the horror genre and played Esther in "Orphan." Although her part in "The Hunger Games" was small, she continued booking jobs, particularly in horror films like "Down a Dark Hall" and "The Last Thing Mary Saw," and she eventually reprised her role as Esther in 2022's "Orphan: First Kill."

Fuhrman spoke with Collider in 2022 about returning to the screen to play the little killer, but this time as an adult. "When I was a kid I remember I did so much research on, you know, body language of adults. ... And now, being an adult, it was like the opposite. ... How do I take some of this childlike quality that they have, this bounciness that I had when I was a kid and bring it back into this character?" she remarked.

And, although Fuhrman will always be remembered for her horror movie roles, she's been branching out into other genres as well. She co-starred in the action comedy "Sheroes" in 2023 alongside Sasha Luss, Wallis Day, and Skai Jackson. When asked by Screen Rant why she took the project on, Fuhrman replied, "Exactly what you said, that it was not in my typical wheelhouse. I really loved the script, I felt like it was such a fun ride."

The big, final showdown in "The Hunger Games" was between Peeta, Katniss, and a District 2 tribute, Cato, who was played by Alexander Ludwig. His character didn't last long enough to make it to the sequels, but Ludwig has continued acting in several films and shows over the years like "Grown Ups 2," "The Final Girls," and "The Covenant." Unsurprisingly, the actor is multi-talented, and after a successful recurring role on Netflix's "Vikings," he embarked on a completely different venture: Country music.

He had been writing songs since he was a kid, but it wasn't until 2021 that Ludwig finally released his first EP, which gained attention from the country music scene thanks to his hit single "Let Me Be Your Whiskey." The following year, his debut album titled "Highway 99" was released. Speaking with BBR Music Group on the day of the album's premiere, Ludwig said, "Country music is some of the greatest storytelling on the planet, just like film and television. Good songs can capture a moment in time, and 'Highway 99' brings me back to so many places, times, and stories in my own life." Fans of Ludwig's acting shouldn't fret though, as he's still maintaining his film career while he embarks on his country music journey.