Ever since audiences first read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, fans have had many ideas about who should play a young Coriolanus Snow, Lucy Gray Baird, and the many other characters in The Hunger Games prequel.
With most of the cast now confirmed for the movie adaptation, fans are looking forward to seeing their favorite characters on the big screen. The cast features a range of talent, from well-known veteran actors to breakout stars in Hollywood.
Tom Blyth As Coriolanus Snow
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a nuanced character study of a teenage Coriolanus Snow, many years before he becomes President Snow as fans know him in The Hunger Games. Tom Blyth–who played the titular outlaw in Epix’s Billy the Kid series–is playing young Snow.
Snow is a complex character to play in this story, as he does have genuine moments of empathy and kindness and is unfairly looked down on by many in the Capitol, but he is also cunning and ruthless in his ambition and his desire to be better than everyone. Blyth has the challenge of bringing all these facets of Snow to life in ways that do the character justice.
Rachel Zegler As Lucy Gray Baird
Between West Side Story, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, and Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Snow White, Rachel Zegler is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in Hollywood. She is adding to her stardom even further with her role as Lucy Gray Baird in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Other than Snow, Lucy is the most prominent character in the prequel. She is a member of the Covey and the female tribute from District 12 during the 10th Hunger Games. Her relationship with Snow initially manifests out of him being her mentor during the Games. Zegler’s charm and her musical talents make her a natural fit for the free-spirited and musically gifted character.
Hunter Schafer As Tigris Snow
Other than Coriolanus Snow, Tigris is the only character from the original Hunger Games trilogy who appears in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. In Mockingjay, fans only know Tigris as a disgraced former Hunger Games stylist who provides Katniss, Peeta, and Gale shelter and gives them disguises so they can then move further into the Capitol. Fans were shocked to learn that she was Snow’s cousin and that they grew up together.
Tigris will be played by Hunter Schafer. She is best known for playing high school student Jules Vaughn in Euphoria. There are some parallels between Tigris and Jules (such as both of them being artistic), but there are also many differences, which will allow Schafer to further demonstrate her talents as an actor.
Josh Andrés Rivera As Sejanus Plinth
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is turning into a reunion of the best performers in West Side Story. Not only did Rachel Zegler play Maria in the musical movie, but Josh Andrés Rivera played Chino. In this story, Rivera will be playing Sejanus Plinth. As part of a wealthy family in the Capitol who used to live in District 2, Sejanus is the subject of resentment from individuals in both the Capitol and the districts.
This becomes even more complicated for him when during the 10th Hunger Games, he becomes a mentor for a tribute he knows from when he lived in District 2. Sejanus has arguably the most tragic journey of any character by the end of the story.
Peter Dinklage As Casca Highbottom
Peter Dinklage is best known for playing Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones, but he has now left Westeros to play Dean Casca Highbottom in Panem. Dean Highbottom is publicly credited as the creator of the Hunger Games. As Dean of the Academy, he oversees the mentorship program that Coriolanus Snow and Sejanus Plinth are part of during the 10th Hunger Games.
Highbottom holds a deep disdain towards Snow and revels in Snow’s struggles. The truth behind these feelings is not revealed until the end of the story, as is why he is so seemingly detached and unenthused about the Hunger Games despite being the one credited for the idea in the first place. Highbottom’s disdain, detachment, and ability to enjoy the suffering of others will all be captured perfectly in yet another of Peter Dinklage’s best roles.
Viola Davis As Dr. Volumnia Gaul
Regardless of the role she plays, Viola Davis always exudes tremendous presence and emotional depth in her performances. This will once again be the case as she plays the villainous Dr. Volumnia Gaul. As the Head Gamemaker of the 10th Hunger Games, Dr. Gaul has a playful and energetic personality that makes her truly twisted nature all the more terrifying.
Gaul is instrumental in pushing Snow toward embracing the worst parts of himself, along with revitalizing the Hunger Games into a public display of entertaining brutality to better control the districts. From Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder to Rose Maxson in Fences, Viola Davis has proven she excels in all her roles, and this one will be no exception in all its villainous glory.
Jason Schwartzman As Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman
From Moonrise Kingdom to Fargo, Jason Schwartzman’s best roles demonstrate the actor’s range of talent. His range will once again be on display as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, the Capitol media personality who interviews tributes and mentors leading up to the 10th Hunger Games, along with providing commentary as the actual Games unfold.
Much like his descendant Caesar Flickerman in the original Hunger Games trilogy, Lucky is described as “clownish” and has an over-the-top personality that adds to the showmanship and entertainment factors that make the Hunger Games resonate more strongly for the people in the Capitol.
Dakota Shapiro As Billy Taupe
Unlike the many characters introduced in the Capitol, Billy Taupe is introduced when Snow is in District 12. Billy is a former romantic partner of Lucy Gray’s and a former member of the Covey. He betrayed them both for the daughter of District 12’s Mayor Lipp, who convinced her father to call out Lucy’s name during the Reaping.
Billy causes problems for Lucy when she returns to District 12, along with causing problems for Snow. The unlikable Billy will be played by Dakota Shapiro, who is best known for playing Stephan Paternot in the Silicon Valley docudrama series Valley of the Boom.
Ashley Liao As Clemensia Dovecote
Clemensia Dovecote is a high-achieving student at the Academy and one of the Capitol’s mentors during the 10th Hunger Games. In addition to mentoring a tribute from District 11, Clemensia is a good friend of Snow’s, although their friendship is tested by Dr. Gaul.
The role of Clemensia will be portrayed by Ashley Liao. Some audiences will recognize her as Lola Wong from Fuller House, who was a good friend of Ramona Gibbler and was featured most prominently in the show’s second season. Coincidentally, both Clemensia and Lola take credit for academic assignments that they did not complete, but the parallels between the characters do not go much further.
Jerome Lance As Marcus
Marcus is the male tribute from District 2 in the 10th Hunger Games. He has history with his Capitol mentor Sejanus, as Sejanus lived alongside Marcus in District 2, and they went to school together. Sejanus wants to help Marcus, but Marcus resents Sejanus for getting out of District 2 into a life of privilege in the Capitol.
Playing Marcus in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is Jerome Lance’s first acting credit in movies or television. According to Deadline, Lance is finishing his final year at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Getting to play a significant supporting character in a major film franchise is certainly a great way for Lance to kick off his onscreen acting career.
