STACK NZ Mar #71

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FUN AND GAMES As The HUNGER GAMES reaches its crescendo in MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 , Jennifer Lawrence and her fellow cast members look

GAMES MENTOR Woody Harrelson will also miss The Hunger Games . From cynical drunk to true mentor, Woody Harrelson’s Haymitch Abernathy has been a fixture of The Hunger Games series – and he’s sorry it’s coming to an end. “I really don't want to be done with The Hunger Games ,” he admits. “I wish it didn't have to end, ever. The characters in the film have formed a kind of patchwork family and that was equally true for us as actors in real life.” Harrelson has particularly welcomed the chance to get close to Jennifer Lawrence over the series. He says his character comes to care deeply about Katniss in a way that maybe surprises him, and it was easy to get to that place with Lawrence. “She's so much fun to work with, but also so honest and true in her performance.” And while he will miss it, the series at least finishes with a bang. “What's been so exciting is that each installment of The Hunger Games has been equally great. This last chapter, though, is absolutely the biggest in terms of scale and in terms of the lasting consequences.”

W hen STACK meets with Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson on the final publicity tour for the franchise that made them household names, they’re already playing the “remake game”. It’s not entirely unrealistic, given Hollywood’s rapid recycle spin where Spider- Man and Fantastic Four reboots pop up every few years.“I don’t think it would be surreal at all, I think it’s a totally realistic possibility,” muses Lawrence. “I want to play Haymitch and Jen could be Effie. Liam can be Snow,” laughs Hutcherson. “Then Jen and Amy Schumer are gonna write it!” Much has happened since the trio first met on the first installment of the Hunger Games franchise. Not least that Lawrence back on the epic series, and the mementos they took from the set.

won an Oscar for her role in Silver Linings Playbook and the trio can no longer go out in public without being mobbed. Most recently Lawrence has become best pals with comedy’s golden girl Amy Schumer, almost done,” she says. “We play sisters, estranged from our family. We have a very sick codependent relationship and it’s all very dramatic and serious.” It’s not her first time writing, she reveals. “I’ve been writing since as long as I can remember. But this is my first time writing something people will actually see.” Asked if we might see her on the stand- up circuit with Schumer anytime soon, she laughs: “Oh my god no, I’m not delusional! I would never be able to do that, that is such an art and so brave.” together penning a movie script. “We’re chugging through and it’s

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“I would buy a ticket. I would heckle the shit out of you,” says Hutcherson. “Boo! Go back to Panem!” chimes Hemsworth. There’s been many highs and lows along their Hunger Games journey. “It opens a lot of doors for sure, and the most important thing is I’m really proud of these movies," says Lawrence. "As big as they are, and they’re a franchise, they are beautifully crafted films. The best part is that we’ll be friends for ever.” The fan encounters provide some of the funniest memories during their dizzy rise to the top.

Hutcherson. "Jen looked like a meth head and I had a massive forehead. That’s so not great in a lot of ways – but if you’re reading this, I applaud your commitment.” Each took a memento on the final day on set. Lawrence kept her Mockingjay pins and Catching Fire bows, while Hutcherson kept a locket Peeta gave to Katniss. “And I stole some underwear,” laughs Hemsworth.

“Once a girl showed me tattoos she’d had done of Jen and my faces on the back of her calves," says

• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 is out on March 23

MARCH 2016

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