Summary
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapinghas found the actor to portray President Snow in the sequel. OneHunger Gamesstar had a hilarious and witty response to the casting.
The upcomingHunger Gamesprequel is making progress in the casting department. In April, Lionsgate announced the casting ofJoseph Zada as the young Haymitch AbernathyinSunrise on the Reaping.He is joined by Whitney Peak, who will portray his onscreen girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird.Jesse Plemonsis also part of the prequel and will portray Plutarch Heavensbee, another significant figure in the franchise. Just recently, Lionsgate and The Hunger Games announced the casting ofHarry Potterstar Ralph Fiennes as President Snow and it received a cheeky response from aSnow Whitestar.
Rachel Zegler, who portrayed Lucy Gray Baird inThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,was among the first to react to the announcement on Instagram. “Not my movie ex being Voldemort,” she wrote. She was referencing her character’s past romantic ties with a younger Snow and Fiennes' iconic role as Lord Voldemort in theHarry Potterfranchise. Her response received several reactions from other social media users who found it hilarious. One jokingly told her that she “dodged a bullet.” Meanwhile, X users have a different reaction to Fiennes' casting. According to them, Lionsgate should haveoffered the role to Kiefer Sutherlandbecause he looked like his late dad, Donald Sutherland, who portrayed President Snow in the previousHunger Gamesmovies.
Meanwhile, Zegler’sLucy Grayis a significant figure in Snow’s life. She is a tribute from District 12 and is known for her captivating voice and charisma. She’s a member of the nomadic musical group Covey. Unlike Katniss Everdeen, Lucy Gray uses charm, intelligence, and performance to survive the deadly game. Snow was assigned to mentor her and her beauty, wit, and independence captivated him. They formed a romantic bond, but Lucy Gray kept her emotional distance because she foresaw his controlling tendencies. Lucy Gray won the 10th Hunger Games, but their relationship eventually got strained after Snow killed a friend. He feared Lucy Gray would expose him, so he ran after her and shot her. Her fate was left ambiguous in both the book and the movie. Fans are open to interpreting whether she survived the shot or not since her body wasn’t found to confirm her death.
Zegler’s reaction to Fiennes’Hunger Gamescasting was unexpected and certainly hilarious. It was funny because no one expected such a response. Also, it shows her humor and wit because the two characters, though from different fictional universes, share several thematic elements. Yes, both Voldemort and Snow are authoritarian and controlling. Additionally, the two chilling characters are adept at psychological manipulation, exploiting others' fears and weakness to achieve their goals.
Although Fiennes' casting has received mixed reactions, with some celebrating it and others expressing disappointment because they prefer someone else for the role, there is no doubt that he has proven himself in portraying complex villains. He is renowned for his performance asLord Voldemort in theHarry Pottermovieseries. He also portrayed real-life monster Amon Göth inSchindler’s List,a role that earned him an Oscar nomination. Fiennes can portray cold and calculating characters with charisma, which is aligned with Snow’s persona.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapingwill hit theaters on July 19, 2025.
