More 'Mockingjay' Details from Francis Lawrence and EW

Entertainment Weekly published a few more tidbits from their recent interview with Mockingjay director Francis Lawrence yesterday (see the scans of the Fall Movie Preview Issue HERE).

 

Having gone through the games one more time and having lost Peeta and having been run through the wringer, she’s even more damaged. So you find her in a more agitated place. She’s distraught, confused, angry.”

Collins’ final book presents a gritty narrative about Katniss’ role in the rebellion to overthrow the Capitol, with grim scenes of wartime brutality as the teen heroine struggles with the psychological consequences wrought by violence. But, says Lawrence, the upcoming installment won’t be entirely somber.

“There’s definitely some battles. There’s some of the first glimpses of real war in this movie. And the scale gets quite big,” he reveals. “There’s an atonal shift from some of the last movies, but they’re still very emotional, very sweeping, [on a] grand scale with some levity and humor.”

“Instead of changing the plot and changing characters what we did was have the opportunity to show scenes that could have been happening at different times in the book,” Lawrence says. “For us it’s world expansion instead of changing things. I think it’s exciting for the fan to see certain things. So we’ve been able to open the world up in this and see some new places. We get to see some new districts this time and the scope gets quite large.”

There’s also the addition of cast member Julianne Moore as rebel President Alma Coin, a character whose role has been expanded for the upcoming films. President Coin—who becomes reluctant allies with Katniss Everdeen in the rebellion’s efforts to overthrow President Snow—was written by author Suzanne Collins through Katniss’s perspective as narrator; she is perceived as ambitious and egotistical. But with Moore’s involvement, Lawrence says, the gray-haired politician’s role in his two-part finale has expanded significantly beyond her portrayal in the bestselling Hunger Games series..

“She actually sort of tracked us down and had an interest in the books through her kids,” Lawrence says. "She didn’t audition. Once we knew she wanted it, that was it—done,” Lawrence says, laughing. “I sat down with her, she had great ideas, we got along and that was it.”

“What’s interesting is although she’s a huge character in Mockingjay the book, there’s actually very little of her in it,” notes Lawrence. “There’s more of her in this than in the book and because of that, there’s some development. I think the character has developed into something pretty amazing. And Julianne was a big part of that.”

But one thing thing that won’t change? That’d be the love triangle between Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), Gale (Liam Hemsworth), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).

“With Mockingjay – Part I it’s tricky because Peeta is out of reach for her,” notes the director. “Obviously he becomes an objective for her, but Gale is right there, so that’s always a tricky situation.”

While Lawrence won’t reveal how he divided the final book in Suzanne Collins’ trilogy (“That’s going to be one of the really good surprises,” he says), he shares that the films will have “two different, very distinct stories.”

“Those objectives became the motives for us,” Lawrence explains. “This is where the meaning of the entire series comes into play. The answer to why these books exist exists in Mockingjay, and that’s really been exciting to me. That’s been kind of what I’ve hung on to through these stories.”

New 'Mockingjay Part 1' District 13 Citizen Posters

We're getting an earlier than expected look at six new Mockingjay Part 1 District 13 character posters. President Coin, Haymitch Abernathy, Beetee Latier, Effie Trinket, Plutarch Heavensbee and Finnick Odair are featured in their District 13 finest. And by finest we mean their drab grey uniforms. Looks like Effie is making the most of what she's been dealt in 13. You go, Effie. 

The posters debuted on various websites tonight after they were leaked a bit early online right after the District 13 mobile site launch. 

We assume this is the first wave of District 13 citizen posters and we're very excited to see Katniss in one of them, hopefully in the near future. Because District 13 is alive and well and so is the Mockingjay.

Julianne Moore Attends the 2014 Cannes Film Festival

Julianne Moore (President Coin) is attending the Cannes Film Festival this year. She walked the red carpet at the Mr. Turner premiere and then headed to the Euphoria Calvin Klein Women in Film celebration on Thursday along with Lupita Nyong'o, Naomi Watts and Rooney Mara. Do you think she'll meet up with some of the Mockingjay cast for the big Lionsgate party tomorrow night?

First Look at 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1'

We are thrilled to share the official DIGITAL FIRST LOOK at THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1. With the debut of the new website TheHungerGamesExclusive.com, fans are given insider access to the most highly anticipated film of 2014: THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1.

Series #1 features an exclusive look at District 13's President Coin, along with a video interview with Julianne Moore and a Q&A with director Francis Lawrence, producer Nina Jacobson, and screenwriter Peter Craig. Additionally, get first look images and behind-the-scene stills, an interactive sneak peek at a page from the film’s script, and the official motion poster.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee and Julianne Moore as President CoinWoody Harrelson as Haymitch AbernathyJeffrey Wright as Beetee

US fans will also be given the chance to win an official page of the Mockingjay Part 1 script, featured on the site, signed by the cast and filmmakers by entering TheHungerGamesExplorer.com

There is SO much to explore on the new site, so head to TheHungerGamesExclusive.com for your all-access pass to the making of MOCKINGJAY!

VIDEO: Julianne Moore on The View

Julianne Moore was a guest on The View Wednesday, Dec 11th. She was promoting her new Freckleface Strawberry app, but she also taked about how she discovered The Hunger Games series and revealed that she called her manager to ask, "Who is playing Coin?"

Julianne Moore On Mockingjay - "I'm Delighted To Be Doing It"

Julianne Moore by Dan MacMedan/USA Today

Julianne Moore is busy promoting he new movie, Carrie and  - lucky for us - that provides reporters with lots of opportunities to ask her questions about the Mockingjay films. Moore spoke with USA Today about taking on the role of Coin and how impressed she was with The Hunger Games books.

From USA Today:

Next, she's headed to the much-watched set of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay to take on the popular franchise's steely rebellion leader, President Alma Coin.

Moore says she was drawn to the part after reading the dystopian series. "My son read them when they first came out ... and then my daughter a few years ago started reading The Hunger Games. We were on vacation and I didn't bring a book to read, and she went and caught up with her brother to play ping-pong. I picked up her book and read it that afternoon, and then downloaded the other two on my iPad and tore through them."

Moore praises author Suzanne Collins' deft navigation of strong political themes. "They're books about war but with adolescent overtones," she says. "It's about, what is totalitarianism, what is revolution? How do people compromise, how do we repeat our mistakes? It's heartbreaking. I was really impressed by the books, so I'm delighted to be doing it."

The actress has completed makeup tests to play the silver-haired Coin and is heading to the Georgia set to begin filming soon. She says the Mockingjay team is trying to give fans the Coin they've imagined from the text. "I think everybody tries very hard to honor the book because there's so many people who have invested themselves in it," she says. Mockingjay, the Hunger Games trilogy's final book, will be split into two separate movies.

Read more about Moore at USA Today.

Julianne Moore as President Coin in Atlanta

The first shot of Julianne Moore as President Alma Coin in Atlanta, courtesy of the Daily Mail:

Source: Daily Mail

Source: Daily Mail

See More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2429938/Julianne-Moore-debuts-new-grey-hair-colour-stars-The-Hunger-Games-Mockingjay.html

 

Official: Julianne Moore is President Coin in 'Mockingjay Parts 1&2'

It's FINALLY official! Rumors have been swirling about Julianne Moore as Coin since well before San Diego Comic Con. We fansites even weighed in on her potential as Coin in the series, Campaigning For Coin (fyi, we LOVED the idea). It's true - Julianne Moore is your President Coin in Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2!

Julianne Moore is 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.

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).

You can connect with Julianne on Twitter, and whosay.

Is Julianne Moore Being Considered For Coin?

According to Deadline.com and The Hollywood Reporter, Francis Lawrence and Lionsgate are eyeing Julianne Moore for the role of President Alma Coin in Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2! Just a rumor for now, but stay tuned! Coincidentally, we JUST did an edition of the fan site series Campaigning For Coin on Moore. Check out what we had to say about her casting HERE. Hint: We give it a three finger salute. 

From Deadline:

EXCLUSIVE: As The Hunger Games moves into the final two movies culled from the Suzanne Collins novel Mockingjay, I’ve heard that Lionsgate and director Francis Lawrence are eyeing Julianne Moore to play the role of President Alma Coin. She is the manipulative politician who figures brightly in the finale as Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) becomes a symbol of rebellion against the autocratic Capitol government. This is likely to happen quickly, and Moore would star in both of the final films, which brings back Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth and the returning cast along with Philip Seymour Hoffman, who will be making his first appearance in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which the studio is planning to bring to San Diego Comic-Con in July. Color Force’s Nina Jacobson is producing the series.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Julianne Moore is in early talks to join the third and fourth installments of The Hunger Games films.

The actress would play District 13 leader Alma Coin in the two-part adaptation of Suzanne Collins'Mockingjay, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Talks are early, but Moore would join a cast that includes stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth as well asPhilip Seymour Hoffman.

Campaigning For Coin: Katey Sagal

Next up in the Hunger Games fan site series Campaigning For Coin is Katey Sagal. Every Tuesday and Thursday the fan sites will be sharing opinions 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 ahead!

 

Katey Sagal is best known for her portrayal of wacky Peg Bundy on the long running sitcom Married With Children. In 2011 she won a Golden Globe for her role as Gemma Teller Morrow in the acclaimed FX series Sons Of Anarchy. 

HG Fireside Chat

Savanna: Unfortunately, I haven't seen Katey Sagal in anything other than Married With Children and Lost, so I don't have a very wide range of projects to pull from as I assess her "Coin potential." That being said, just knowing that she once portrayed the hilariously outrageous Peg Bundy and then went on to give such a nuanced performance as Helen Norwood makes me feel like she can probably handle anything! Although Helen's role on Lost wasn't large, Sagal made the character memorable. While I would never have thought of her as a possible Coin on my own, the more I think about it, the more I love it. It would definitely be an unexpected casting choice, which makes the idea even more appealing to me. Acting skills aside, I feel that Sagal has a wonderful look for the part as well. She has such a strong, almost regal-looking face which I can easily envision going from cool and authoritative to absolutely menacing in a heartbeat.

HG Girl On Fire

Lindsay: For many, Katey Sagal will only ever be Peg Bundy from Married With Children. However, she is quite a talented singer and comedic AND dramatic actress, and is often looked over for a role like this. She is not someone I'd have thought of for Coin, so I really had to consider her once she was mentioned. She's the right age and has a fantastic look for Coin. My biggest issue with her, though it seems kind of small, is her very slow speaking style. Not that she can't speak quickly. But the way her speech comes across to me is very casual and laid back. I tend to think of Coin as being quick and curt. Again, that's not something that's a dealbreaker for me, but strangely is the main reason I think it'd be an odd bit of casting.

Hunger Games Examiner

Sara: Though she is perhaps still best known for her role on Married with Children, Sagal isn't just famous for her comedic chops. Sure, she's handled humor on Married with Children and on Futurama-- but she's also tackled much more serious dramatic roles in TV shows such as Lost and Sons of Anarchy. I haven't really seen any of Sagal's work myself, but if she can have a successful career balancing both comedy and drama, there's no doubt she could potentially tackle the role of Coin. Perhaps the biggest challenge she'd face is the leap from largely television roles to a major motion picture franchise.

Mockingjay.net

Crystal: Sadly, I haven't seen Katey Sagal in much lately except for a few episodes of LOST, which was years ago. I've always wanted to watch Sons of Anarchy since I hear so much about her performance, but have never seen the show. I will say that I think she has a hardened look that could work well for Coin. I used to watch Married with Children and Futurama, so while it can be hard to look at her and not see ditzy Peg Bundy or one-eyed Leela, I think I could still detach her from those roles if she did a good enough job. And if she's in Sons of Anarchy, I'd say she's had lots of practice in being tough!

My Hunger Games

Kristen: Katey Sagal plays a Grade-A manipulator while simultaneously maintaining a caring, fiercely protective character archetype on the TV show Sons of Anarchy. That really surprised me, considering all I've ever seen her do prior to SOA was comedy. Don't be fooled by her stint on the sitcom Married...With Children; this woman is remarkably capable of playing a tough girl. However, if Sagal were to be cast as Coin, I worry that her acting history may lead audiences to see Alma Coin as a much less societally-threatening character than she was created to be. Sagal undoubtedly has acting chops, I just don’t want to be sitting in the movie theater watching Alma Coin on screen, but hearing Peggy Bundy in my head.

PanemPropaganda

Molly: Most of you probably aren't old enough to remember Katey Sagal as the bouffant-sporting shopaholic housewife Peg Bundy in the sitcom Married With Children. And that’s GOOD because Katey Sagal is so much more than Peg Bundy, She's a remarkable woman. She's an actress and singer with a gorgeous, soulful voice who's been working in the industry forever, mostly on TV with some stage work sprinkled in. She's done a lot of comedy in the past, but her Golden Globe-winning turn as Gemma in Sons of Anarchy proves she knows how to play tough. She's the right age. She may not have been my immediate pick for Coin, but I like Katey Sagal and she’s got the talent to play the role. The biggest problem I see with casting Katey Sagal as Coin is that it doesn’t have that ""wow"" factor that they should be seeking for this role. Remember when we found out Donald Sutherland was cast as President Snow - “wow!” We're going to need a President Coin of equal caliber, and I’m not sure Katey fits the bill.

The Hob

Amanda: To be honest, this was a tough one for our entire staff. When discussing Katey Sagal as Coin, nearly each one of us said, "Peggy Bundy?" Granted, I know she's done other things - I loved her on 8 Simple Rules, was excited about her stint on Lost, recognized her voice in Disney's Smart House, and am aware the she received rave reviews (and award nominations) for her role on Sons of Anarchy, though I've never seen the show. And though I adore her as an actress, the idea of her as Coin is completely out of left field and I'm just not sure I can get on board. Has she shown the range necessary for Coin through her TV roles? Can she overcome the character she is famous for from Married with Children, even with the right hair and makeup? Can fans look past her very recognizable voice and see her as the plain, nondescript Coin? Too many questions that I don't have the answers too, so for me, Katey isn't quite a fit for the role.

Victor's Village

Rebekah: I know for some people Katey Sagal being fan-cast as Alma Coin is kind of out of left field, but if you really think about it, it's not. Katey Sagal to the laymen is best known for her work on the long running '90s sit-com, Married With Children, but I screamingly implore people to get past the image you have of her as Peggy Bundy, with her teased red hair (which was a wig), to her gum chewing, lip smacking, feminine crossed legs that never stopped moving, to her loud low-cut tops, and her leggings-- Katey Sagal is so much more than Peggy Bundy. Katey Sagal has been in the entertainment business for over 40 years, starting out as a back up singer for famous musicians like Bob Dylan, and Bette Midler. She has an on going solo music career herself, and she's even been interviewed and promoted on such highly respected shows like Fresh Air on NPR. Music is one of her main passions, but she is an actress who hasn't stopped working seemingly for the last 30 years. She has 14 recurring roles to her name, three of which are roles she's still in the midst of doing, or is contracted to reprise eventually. Those roles are Gemma Teller Morrow on the critically acclaimed FX series Sons of Anarchy, where she plays the matriarch to a chapter of a fictionalized motor cycle club that's meant to resemble The Hells Angels. Gemma is a force to be reckoned with, and the role has let Katey do things that many actresses would simply be afraid to take on in realistic, and painfully honest ways. Gemma's no angel, for lack of a better word, but she's someone who you can relate to, love, and hate all at the same time, so in that sense I just described Alma Coin. Other roles she's still contracted to portray, Nancy Abrams on Glee, aka Artie's mom, and then of course there's Turanga Leela on the long running, and much-loved animated series Futurerama. Katey's also recognizable from her work on the ABC sit-com 8 Simple Rules, which co-starred the late John Ritter, and the now beloved Kaley Cuoco from The Big Bang Theory. And then there's her work on the ABC drama/thriller, Lost--where she played John Locke's love interest. The only thing that puts Katey Sagal out of the realistic category where it comes to being cast as Coin is this, she's freakin' busy all the time, and it would simply be amazing if she were cast, because it means she's has the best scheduling skills on the face of the Earth.

Welcome To District 12

Courtney/Tiffany: Aside from Married with Children and Futurama, we have seen Katey's performance on Sons of Anarchy, a role most closely associated with Alma Coin. Gemma's character is strong but manipulative. She plays this role particularly well, but we're not too sure she is a perfect fit for Coin. She could do well, yes, but we just don't see her excelling in this role as much as some other candidates we have discussed. Also, we're having a hard time seeing her wanting to be a part of The Hunger Games since we're remembering a very opinionated tweet from her husband Kurt Sutter calling it "Twilight with evil sports".

Check out the most recent Campaigning For Coin: Julianne Moore