20 "The Hunger Games" Cast Members In Their First Major Role Vs. In The Movies Vs. Now

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1.Jennifer Lawrence's first role in 2006:

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer's first role was in an episode of Monk as a mascot at a basketball game. From there, she went on to appear in a few movies and shows before landing her breakout roles in The Bill Engvall Show and Winter's Bone.

USA Network

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games movies:

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss

The same year The Hunger Games came out, Jennifer also starred in Silver Linings Playbook. She went on to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for her work as Tiffany Maxwell in Silver Linings Playbook.

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Jennifer Lawerence now:

Closeup of Jennifer Lawrence

Alongside The Hunger Games franchise, Jennifer notably also starred as Mystique in several X-Men movies. Since then, she's appeared in movies like Joy, Mother!, Don't Look Up, and Causeway. She can be seen in the upcoming comedy No Hard Feelings.

Tommaso Boddi / AFP / Getty Images

2.Josh Hutcherson's first role in 2002:

Josh Hutcherson

After appearing in a few pilot episodes, Josh's first role came in an episode of ER in 2002. After this, he went on to apeaar in numerous classic movies like The Polar Express, Kicking & Screaming, Howl's Moving Castle, Little Manhattan, RV, Bridge to Terabithia, and more.

NBC

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games movies:

Josh as Peeta
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Josh Hutcherson now:

Josh Hutcherson

Following The Hunger Games movies, Josh appeared in movies like The Disaster Artist, and he had a starring role in the Hulu series Future Man. He has a few upcoming movies like 57 Seconds alongside Morgan Freeman.

Tm / GC Images / Getty Images

3.Liam Hemsworth's first major role in 2007:

Liam Hemsworth in an early role

Liam's first major role was in the Australian TV series Neighbours, which he starred on between 2007 and 2008. His big break came in 2010 when he starred in the adaptation of The Last Song alongside Miley Cyrus.

Freevee / Everett Collection

Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games movies:

Liam Hemsworth as Gale
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Liam Hemsworth now:

Closeup of Liam Hemsworth

After The Hunger Games movies, Liam went on to star in films like Isn't It Romantic and Killerman. Next, Liam is taking over the role of Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's The Witcher after Henry Cavill departed the show.

Don Arnold / WireImage / Getty Images

4.Woody Harrelson's first major role in 1985:

Woody Harrelson on "Cheers"

Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games movies:

Woody as Haymitch
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Woody Harrelson now:

Closeup of Woody Harrelson

5.Elizabeth Banks's first role in 1999:

Elizabeth Banks in an early role

Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games movies:

Elizabeth as Effie

The same year The Hunger Games came out, Elizabeth also produced and starred in Pitch Perfect.

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Elizabeth Banks now:

Closeup of Elizabeth Banks

6.Lenny Kravitz in 1989:

Lenny Kravitz onstage

Okay, so Lenny didn't start appearing in films, first as himself, until 2001, so above is a picture of Lenny while performing hits off his debut album Let Love Rule in 1989. Aside from his Grammy Award-winning musical career, Lenny notably starred in Precious in 2009.

Gie Knaeps / Getty Images

Lenny Kravitz as Cinna in The Hunger Games movies:

Lenny as Cinna
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Lenny Kravitz now:

Closeup of Lenny Kravitz

Recently, Lenny performed at the 2023 Academy Awards, and he starred in the movie Shotgun Wedding alongside Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel.

Lexie Moreland / WWD via Getty Images

7.Stanley Tucci's first major role in 1987:

Stanley Tucci in an early role

Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman in The Hunger Games movies:

Stanley Tucci as Caesar
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Stanley Tucci now:

Closeup of Stanley Tucci

8.Donald Sutherland's first major role in 1964:

Young Donald Sutherland

Donald Sutherland as President Snow in The Hunger Games movies:

Donald Sutherland as President Snow
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Donald Sutherland now:

Closeup of Donald Sutherland

After The Hunger Games movies, he appeared in movies like Ad Astra, Moonfall, and more. Most notably, he starred in the HBO limited series The Undoing in 2020 alongside Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.

Nurphoto / Getty Images

9.Amandla Stenberg's first role in 2011:

Young Amandla Stenberg

Amandla's first role was playing a young version of Zoe Saldaña's character in the movie Colombiana. Their next role was in The Hunger Games in 2012.

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Amandla Stenberg as Rue in The Hunger Games:

Amandla as Rue
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Amandla Stenberg now:

Closeup of Amandla Stenberg

10.Sam Claflin's first role in 2010:

Sam Claflin

Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games movies:

Sam as Finnick
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Sam Claflin now:

Closeup of Sam Claflin

Following The Hunger Games movies, Sam starred in movies like Me Before You, Enola Holmes, and more. He recently wrapped Peaky Blinders and is currently starring as Billy Dunne in Daisy Jones & the Six.

Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images for Vanity Fair

11.Wes Bentley's first major role in 1999:

Wes Bentley in "American Beauty"

Wes's first major role was in American Beauty in 1999. From there, he went on to appear in movies like Ghost Rider, The Four Feathers, and more before The Hunger Games in 2012.

DreamWorks Pictures

Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane in The Hunger Games:

Wes as Seneca
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Wes Bentley now:

Closeup of Wes Bentley

After The Hunger Games, Wes went on to star in numerous seasons of American Horror Story. Currently, he stars in Yellowstone as Jamie Dutton alongside Kevin Costner.

Paras Griffin / Getty Images

12.Jena Malone's first major role in 1997:

Jena Malone in "Contact"

Jena's first big role was as a younger version of Jodie Foster's character in Contact in 1997. From there, she went on to star in Stepmom, Donnie Darko, Life as a House, American Girl, Saved!, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Pride & Prejudice, Into the Wild, Sucker Punch, and more.

Warner Bros

Jena Malone as Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games movies:

Jena as Johanna
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Jena Malone now:

Closeup of Jena Malone

After the conclusion of The Hunger Games movies, Jena went on to star in Nocturnal Animals, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and more. She's got several upcoming movies like Rebel Moon, Horizon, and Love Lies Bleeding.

Michael Tullberg / Getty Images

13.Jack Quaid's first role as Marvel in The Hunger Games in 2012:

Jack Quaid as Marvel

Despite his very famous actor parents — Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid — Jack's first acting role wasn't until 2012 when he starred in The Hunger Games.

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Jack Quaid now:

Closeup of Jack Quaid

14.Willow Shields's first role in 2009:

Young Willow Shields

Willow's first acting credit is an episode of In Plain Sight in 2009. Her next big role was The Hunger Games in 2012.

USA Network

Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen in The Hunger Games movies:

Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen
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Willow Shields now:

Closeup of Willow Shields

Since the conclusion of The Hunger Games franchise, Willow appeared in movies like Into the Rainbow, When Time Got Louder, and more. Notably, she starred in the tragically short-lived Netflix series Spinning Out in 2020.

Amanda Edwards / FilmMagic / Getty Images

15.Jeffrey Wright's first role in 1990:

Young Jeffrey Wright

Jeffrey's first role was in the movie Presumed Innocent alongside Harrison Ford in 1990. From there, he went on to appear in countless movies and shows like Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Boardwalk Empire, and more.

Warner Bros.

Jeffrey Wright as Beetee Latier in The Hunger Games movies:

Jeffrey as Beetee
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Jeffrey Wright now:

Closeup of Jeffrey Wright

Following The Hunger Games movies, Jeffrey notably starred as Bernard Lowe in Westworld from 2016 to 2022. He recently starred in The Batman and the Marvel animated series What If...?

Taylor Hill / Getty Images

16.Alexander Ludwig's first major role in 2007:

Young Alexander Ludwig

His first big role was in The Sandlot: Heading Home in 2007. He then got his big break in the movie The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising that same year.

20th Century Fox

Alexander Ludwig as Cato in The Hunger Games:

Alexander Ludwig as Cato
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Alexander Ludwig now:

Closeup of Alexander Ludwig

After The Hunger Games, Alexander went on to star in the hit TV show Vikings, and he currently stars on the Starz series Heels alongside Stephen Amell.

Paras Griffin / Getty Images for Starz

17.Mahershala Ali's first role in 2001:

Young Mahershala Ali

Mahershala Ali as Boggs in The Hunger Games movies:

Mahershala as Boggs
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Mahershala Ali now:

Closeup of Mahershala Ali

18.Natalie Dormer's first role in 2005:

Natalie Dormer

Natalie Dormer as Cressida in The Hunger Games movies:

Natalie Dormer as Cressida
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Natalie Dormer now:

Closeup of Natalie Dormer

After starring in the last two The Hunger Games movies, Natalie went on to appear in movies like In Darkness and Patient Zero, and TV shows like Elementary and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.

David M. Benett / Getty Images

19.Julianne Moore's first role in 1984:

Young Julianna Moore

Julianne Moore as President Alma Coin in The Hunger Games movies:

Julianne Moore as Alma Coin
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Julianne Moore now:

Closeup of Julianne Moore

20.And finally, Philip Seymour Hoffman's first role in 1991:

Young Philip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games movies:

Philip as Plutarch
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Philip Seymour Hoffman in 2014:

Closeup of Philip Seymour Hoffman