Tom Blyth is one of the stars of the prequel chapter of The Hunger Games franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Blyth plays a young version of Coriolanus “Coryo” Snow, who will one day become the ruthless dictator of Panem. While preparing for the role, Blyth didn’t talk to Donald Sutherland, who played President Snow in the trilogy. However, The Hunger Games prequel star did share a message he and the cast received from Katniss Everdeen herself, Jennifer Lawrence.
“We didn’t have any contact until we all got the news that Jen Lawrence had been interviewed on the red carpet somewhere about how she felt about it,” Blyth told Vanity Fair. “She sent a message to us, via a media outlet, basically saying good luck to everyone, hope it goes well, which we all needed because halfway through we were like, ‘Oh God, I hope we’re living up to the hopes and dreams of people who love this franchise. I hope we’re not shooting Jen in the back.’ But to get her blessing meant a lot to us, even though it was from afar.”
What to Expect in The Hunger Games Prequel?
“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Coriolanus who is the last hope for his failing lineage, the once-proud Snow family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol,” the official synopsis reads. “With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, a tribute from the impoverished District 12. But after Lucy Gray’s charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift their fates.”
Besides Blyth as Snow, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes cast includes Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth, Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow, Peter Dinklage as Casca “Cas” Highbottom, Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul, and Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt. Lawrence has directed every film in the franchise since Catching Fire. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is based on Suzanne Collins’ 2020 novel of the same name. The Hunger Games prequel arrives in theaters on November 17, 2023.
