THE HUNGER GAMES directed by Gary Ross, written by Ross from the book by Suzanne Collins, with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. 142 minutes. An Alliance release. Opens Friday (March 23). For venues and times, see Movie Listings.
If there’s one guy who won’t get wrecked by all the attention The Hunger Games is getting, it’s heartthrob Liam Hemsworth.
The young Australian actor who plays Gale – the boy back home Katniss must leave to participate in the Games’ fight to the death – definitely knows how to handle himself in the face of the coming juggernaut.
He does sound like he’s giving me a stock response when he says he’s proud of the film and excited to meet the fans.
But when the guy who’s been romantically linked to Miley Cyrus is asked how he personally connects to the themes of the film, he goes on a tear about, of all things, child abuse.
“That’s one thing that drew me to the movie,” he says in his Down Under accent, dressed in black T-shirt and jeans in a downtown hotel room.
On how he loses his Aussie accent on film:
“I’m an ambassador for the Australian Child Foundation. Reality TV is becoming more and more ridiculous, with Toddlers And Tiaras, for example, and parents forcing their kids to participate. The kids are too young to choose that. A big part of The Hunger Games deals with that same thing, children being forced to participate in a spectacle.”
His preoccupation with the issue makes it easy for him to relate to his character.
“Gale is passionate about not siding with the Games. I always thought that if I were in that situation I’d behave the same way.”
On how he relates to his character Gale:
He even makes the link between what participants in the deadly Games have to do to win success in the entertainment business.
“The children who go into these Games have to get people to like them so they can get sponsors,” he explains. “It’s like that for everyone in life, but especially in my industry it’s important to get people to like me.”
That isn’t too hard. He’s thoughtful, charismatic – he’s only in a few scenes in the movie but makes one of the largest impressions – and generous when it comes to his colleagues, especially star Jennifer Lawrence.
He thought she’d be super-serious – taking his cue from her role in the intense Winter’s Bone – but found her funny and unpredictable. And when he talks about her process as an actor, he’s positively gushy.
“She’s always so present. You don’t have to do much – you just have to work off her, and she’s always listening. You just have to listen and react, and when someone’s that good it’s easy. It’s real and organic.”
He’s so easygoing, he doesn’t mind that his brother Chris beat him out for the lead role in Thor.
“All brothers are very competitive. I’ve been the younger brother and always looked up to my older brothers as role models.
“Chris and I aren’t usually up for the same roles. Thor was the only one. At the end of the day, we’re always happy when one of us gets a part.”
Video by Graeme Phillips
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