Jennifer Lawrence finally confirms ‘Hunger Games’ return — but skips ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ London premiere
Jennifer Lawrence skipped out on the London premiere of “Sunrise on the Reaping” on Wednesday, but confirmed her “emotional” return to the “Hunger Games” franchise in an interview the same day.
“It was unbelievable,” Lawrence said of her return during Wednesday’s episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, noting that it was “crazy because it was the same crew” — including “camera guys” — also returning.
The Oscar winner gushed that the reunion with cast members — including Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson, whom she starred opposite in 2015’s “Mockingjay Part 2” — was “so emotional.”
“Josh and I didn’t walk to the bathroom without our arms around each other,” she divulged of their on-set dynamic, 11 years after the last film in the lineup. “It was so beautiful.”
Lawrence, now 36, starred in the 2012 original installment as Katniss Everdeen opposite Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark.
They reprised their roles in 2013’s “Catching Fire,” as well as both installments of “Mockingjay” in 2014 and 2015.
Lawrence quipped of Harrelson — who plays Haymitch Abernathy — “Woody obviously came through the window of my hotel room uninvited, ’cause it wouldn’t be the same if he listened to boundaries and used a door.”
The comments came within hours of the “Sunrise on the Reaping” premiere in London, where Glenn Close — who plays Drusilla Sickle — arrived for the event in a regal green silk dress.
McKenna Grace, who plays twins Maysilee and Merrilee Donner, modeled what appeared to be a Van Gogh-inspired gown, while Elle Fanning, who plays Effie Trinket, wore a dramatic sculptural pink dress with a tulle skirt and matching headpiece.
Kieran Culkin, Jesse Plemons, Kelly Rutherford, Josep Zada and Ralph Fiennes also attended the lavish red carpet soirée in celebration of the latest adaption of Suzanne Collins’ wildly popular dystopian novels.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” is set in Panem, 24 years before the events of “The Hunger Games” unfold, and revolves around Harrelson’s Abernathy.
Though Lawrence didn’t confirm her participation in the film until now, she hinted her enthusiasm at the idea in a 2023 interview.
When asked by Variety at the time if she was open to the idea of reprising her iconic role as Katniss, she exclaimed, “Oh, my God – totally!”
She added, “If Katniss ever could ever come back into my life, 100 percent.”