The Hunger Games Sequel Adds A New Actress

Fans of “The Hunger Games” books may be anticipating this bit of news for a number of reasons. Red-blooded males, do take note too. In the follow-up story “Catching Fire”, there is a character called Johanna Mason. And she first makes an appearance completely nude.

Today, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed casting rumours for this high-profile role. She will be played by Jena Malone, who was last seen in director Zack Snyder’s action-fantasy mash-up “Sucker Punch”. It’s unlikely that Malone will be seen in her birthday suit, seeing as this franchise is a strictly PG-13 affair. Sorry, boys.

As for why Mason gets nekkid, well, it’s apparently one of the character’s survival tactics. She plays mind games on the other tributes (contestants), to make them underestimate her. Here’s a brief bio from Wiki’s Hunger Games page: “In her original Hunger Games, Johanna pretended to be a weakling, feigning hunger and fatigue, when in reality she was sly and cunning, described by Katniss as having a “wicked ability to murder”. Johanna is proficient with axes, as she comes from District 7, where the main industry is lumber. It is hinted in Catching Fire that all of Johanna’s loved ones were killed by President Snow and the Capitol after her Games, as she tells Katniss that there is “no one left she loves.”"

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is directed by Francis Lawrence (“Constantine”), and sees the retunr of Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Lenny Kravitz, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Toby Jones, and Woody Harrelson. It premieres 22nd November 2013.