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Campaigning For Coin: Fan Favorite HELEN MIRREN

This edition of the Hunger Games fan site series "Campaigning For Coin" is our last one! Today we're focusing on fan favorite President Coin-cast, Helen Mirren. This series is where the Hunger Games fan sites sound off on different actresses we think may (or may not) be right for the role of President Alma Coin in Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2. As always, be warned: Spoilers!

Photo by Giles Keyte

Helen Mirren as President Coin by Nikola-Nikart

PanemPropaganda

 Molly: Helen Mirren has been bandied about all over this fandom as a top pick for President Coin. I didn’t have her in my mind as I was reading Mockingjay, and I have to admit that Jodie Foster is my One True Love for Coin. But ever since I saw the amazing “Mirren as Coin” edit by Nikola-Nikart on tumblr, I can’t get her out of my mind for the role. I think some roles would be genius with a newcomer (ahem, Annie).  But this one, well, this one needs impact. We need someone in this role that can make us believe she could, with military precision, control a district for many years, underground, in secret while shepherding them through an epidemic and masterminding a rebellion, and then intimidate the crap out of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Woody Harrelson, and most importantly, Jennifer Lawrence. She’s too old, you say? Please. Jennifer Lawrence is supposed to be 17 years old in Mockingjay. I think we can all suspend disbelief long enough to put Helen Mirren in there as a 50-something. Have you seen the woman in a bikini? (No, seriously, the red bikini. Go Helen!!) And the woman can freaking ACT. She would be the perfect foil for Donald Sutherland as President Snow. Helen Mirren as Coin? Yes, please!!   

HG Fireside Chat

Adam: Is Helen Mirren too old? That's been the general complaint against one of England's greatest dames, and it's a valid one. But then -- Mirren has fought off aging with nearly as much proficiency as Katniss against the Careers. Mirren is also an extraordinary acting talent, and she has a proven track record of delivering a variety of complex characters with benevolent and sinister intentions. I'll admit, I have been a banner-waver for Mirren's consideration, and I think, though there are other extremely talented and capable actresses, none could match the aura and majesty of this Academy Award winner. (And if you're really concerned about age, you know these makeup people can shave off 20 years, right?)

The Hob

Amanda: I'm pretty sure Helen Mirren is one of those actresses who needs no introduction. Everyone knows who she is, what she looks like, and that she's been nominated for more acting awards than seems humanly possible....even if you've somehow never seen one of her movies. Which is basically the boat I'm in. Almost embarrassingly, I think the only movie I've ever seen Helen in is Red. But you know what, I'd still be more than happy to have her as Coin! I don't think anyone can argue against her acting ability and amazing reputation among her peers. She's older than I pictured Coin, but I could get over that in a matter of minutes because I'm pretty sure she could masterfully pull off Coin's cool, calm, determined, authoritative demeanor. I certainly wouldn't be the casting director to tell her "no" if she wanted the role!

Victor’s Village

Kait: Helen Mirren is an extraordinary talent. There's no doubt about it! But there's one thing that she's not... and that's Alma Coin. Despite her talent, Mirren is significantly older than the middle-aged character described in the books at age 68. There are plenty of incidents in which we can put character vs. actor age aside, but this just isn't one of them. She's really great at playing hard-edged authority figures, so she gets suggested for all the roles of this nature and after a while, it feels like typecasting. And while she has a voice that commands authority, she has the type of on-screen presence that would likely make the audience guess that Coin's intentions aren't purely helpful and ruin the fun of the ambigious character arc. We're not dissing the Dame! We love her! Just not for this role.

Welcome To District 12

Courtney/Tiffany: Helen Mirren is the first actress that immediately came to our mind when first reading about Coin in Mockingjay. Her look fits very well with Coin's description, and she's always been our number one pick. Some people say she's too old, but we think that's not a good enough reason to cut Helen Mirren out of the mix. First of all, casting for The Hunger Games has historically gone older than the book description (Lenny Kravitz, Donald Sutherland, etc.). Second, age in real life and age on the screen are not the same thing. We would prefer an older actress for Coin than a younger one. Nothing scares us more than a stern older lady with a too perfect haircut. We would also like to point out that many think Glenn Close is a great option for Coin. Guess what, friends?! She's only TWO YEARS younger than Helen Mirren. Regarding age, if Glenn Close could be the next Coin, why not Mirren? Lastly, since casting has been older for the actors and actresses, we think that since they went so old with Snow, they'll want a somewhat similar age range for Coin as the counterpart.
Now that we've gotten the age issue out of the way, Helen Mirren would be a spectacular choice on acting skills alone. She's played a ton of women in power, and has a very commanding presence. I bet she's got a whole closet devoted to all her acting awards, which goes with the casting trend of the adult actors. She would be a great match for Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, something we are dying to see. It's no wonder she's a fan favorite for President Coin.


 


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Campaigning For Coin: Julianne Moore

We are honored to be a part of the Hunger Games fan site series "Campaigning For Coin." Every Tuesday and Thursday the fan sites will be sharing our opinions on different actresses we think may (or may not) be right for the role of President Alma Coin in Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2. Be warned: Spoilers ahead!

Photo by Kenneth Willardt

Julianne Moore: She’s an award winning actress best known for her varied work in films such as The Kids Are All Right, The Big Lebowski, Magnolia, and Boogie Nights. She recently won an Emmy Award for her turn as Sarah Palin in Game Change. 

Down With The Capitol:

Aldrin: Now, I've seen Julianne Moore's acting and it's clear she knows what she's doing. I can go on and on about how I loved her in Nine Months or The Kids Are All Right (also starring Josh Hutcherson), but let's look at something very obvious that proves she's good for Coin: she played Sarah Palin in Game Change. Trying not to sound too political here, but Sarah Palin was someone who was given lots of power, some might say more than she should have had. Some supported her, some hated her. Sound familiar? Granted, Palin and Coin are two entirely different people in so many ways, but the general principle applies. Julianne Moore has experience playing a woman in power, who had to put on a tough exterior despite the fact that many disagreed with her actions. Combine that with her impeccable acting skills in so many other roels, and I think you've got someone who could play Coin perfectly.

HG Fireside Chat:

Adam: Julianne Moore may not be quite as vicious and belligerent as some of the other candidates, but she certainly can act. In my view, she would excel at portraying the softer side of Coin, which could be extremely effective in fooling the populace -- then, when she proves to be much worse, it will be as shocking as it was for Panem's citizens. Moore is famous recently for The Kids Are All Right and Game Change, but I see a parallel with her role as a blood-to-the-bone revolutionary in Children of Men. There, she was good, but she had some of the same character traits as Coin, and she proved plenty competent in handling them. Moore would not be my top top choice, but I would still be fine with her selection.

HG Girl On Fire:

Lindsay: I am a fan of Julianne Moore and I think she is a stellar actress. She has impressive range, and when I think of her, I think of both her big laughs, and her sad/angry expressions, all at once. Her previous characters that stick in my brain are from The Kids Are All Right, and her stint on 30 Rock (with that wicked awful Boston accent!). But for some reason she doesn't jump out at me for Coin. While I think she could play the role with her hands tied behind her back (well, not really, obviously), I just almost feel like I have NO opinion about her. Which makes me think I don't like her for the role. Would I be disappointed if she were cast? No way! She's a superstar and  has the Emmy Award and numerous Oscar nominations to prove it. But she's not my first choice.

My Hunger Games:

Jacqui: I am a big fan of Julianne Moore.  She is quite a few of my favorite movies, including the Big Lebowski, The Hours, Far From Heaven and The Kids are All Right.  Her perfomances are nuanced and compelling.  She is one of those actresses that can balance drama and comedy with great effect; she can come across as completely empathetic, but also mysterious and remote. Her career is a mix of diverse and interesting roles and she's definitely one of those onscreen people that you can't take your eyes off. I think she would definitely bring something special to the role of Alma Coin.

 

PanemPropaganda:

Molly: I admit Julianne Moore never crossed my mind as an option for Coin, but now that I’ve had it swirling around in my head for a while I’m starting to love the idea. She’s an amazingly versatile character actress, she’s the perfect age, and can’t you imagine her rocking a razor sharp grey wig? I can certainly see her as the icy Coin with her fair skin and (cue the contact lenses) grey, pale eyes the color of slush “you wish would melt away.”

Coin needs to be cool, calculating and, in the end, as evil as President Snow (some would say MORE evil!) Julianne Moore has a hugely varied resume and can seemingly do anything. She’s played the villain a few times but mostly in domestic, realistic situations. This could be a nice addition to her credits.

It could also be one great big reunion - She’s worked with Josh Hutcherson in The Kids Are All Right, Woody Harrelson in Game Change, and Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Big Lebowski, Boogie Nights, and Magnolia. And her upcoming film Seventh Son ALMOST had her working with both Jennifer Lawrence (she bowed out) and Sam Claflin (he auditioned for the lead). I’m giving a three finger salute to Julianne Moore for President Coin.

The Hob:

Lee: Julianne Moore is one of the more interesting choices to play President Coin. Her work is so diverse, it's a challenge to view any single performance and point to determine her ability to play Coin. The characters she has portrayed have a level of intensity and her performances always exude tremendous energy. Many of the roles have been determined women, focused and willing to take risks to succeed. These are all qualities that President Coin has. Always a chameleon in her roles, Ms. Moore would be visually striking with snow-white hair, sparkling eyes, and a sense of invincibility in her portrayal.

Victor’s Village:

Rebekah: If you follow my writing on Victor's Village at all, you should know by now that Julianne Moore is one of a handful of actresses I've already written up about as a potential Alma Coin. Face it, Julianne is no slouch where it comes to acting talent, she has one of the more diverse, and critically embraced careers of an A-list who's still regularly working actress out there. From her work in films like Benny & Joon, Short Cuts, Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, A Map of the World, The End of the Affair, Magnolia, Far from Heaven, The Hours, The Children of Men, A Single Man, The Kids Are All Right, Game Change, and the recently released What Maisie Knew, she's proven herself as someone who 100 times over is capable of portraying every single kind of woman you can even remotely imagine. This woman is not afraid to take on even the most weird, the most despicable, the most shallow, and the most intense, and the most sad types of people. She's an actors actor, and the thought of her taking on a role like Alma Coin gives me giddy shivers down my spine, because I know she would sink her teeth into Alma's character like a juicy steak, and chew it slowly, precisely, and oddly beautifully. I've seen comments that some of the choices in this on going fan-casting series are too predictable, well-- Julianne Moore has never taken on a predictable project in her entire career. She does big budget films like The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Evolution with David Duchovny, and tiny art house films like Chicago Cab, and Savage Grace with Eddie Redmayne, and then mixes it up by taking a recurring role on 30 Rock opposite Alec Baldwin. No one, and I mean no one can say that Julianne Moore being cast as Alma Coin is predictable. This is why she's one of my top choices for Alma Coin, and also because I really really want to see her go head to head with Jennifer Lawrence.

Welcome To District 12:

Courtney/Tiffany: We are in agreement that Julianne Moore is one of our favorite actresses. She's a solid actress and has had a very diverse career. I mean, she has Maude Lebowski, Clarice Starling and Sarah Palin on her resume, to name a few. Sarah Palin is a perfect example of a role that Julianne already has under her belt and could be very helpful to her playing Coin. However, we do think that  her look isn't as cold and calculating as we imagine President Coin to be. But then again, that can work in her favor because who is to suspect ulterior motives from someone like Julianne Moore? A plus for her is that she has worked with Josh Hutcherson before, playing his mother in The Kids Are All Right. Last but not least she seems to be a fan favorite among THG fans, so that's a super bonus too!


 

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Victory Tour 2013: The Online Fan Convention Is June 22-23

Victory Tour 2013 is just around the corner June 22-23. For $10.00 you can join the multi-fandom (but The Hunger Games focused) online fan convention and gain access to all the programming. 

The Victory Tour Gamemakers are also bringing in some of the hottest YA authors for keynote sessions:

We are extremely excited to announce that Lauren Oliver, author of the Delirium trilogy, and Ally Condie, author of the Matched Trilogy, will be joining us at the online convention!

Both world-renowned authors will host keynote sessions and and take audience questions via webcam, making these keynotes excitingly interactive. This is the perfect opportunity to get your questions answered and continue discussion about these trilogies in breakout sessions that follow!

Go to VictoryTour2013.com for more information and to register. 

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