Sydney actor from Stan drama Invisible Boy scores Hollywood break with Hunger Games role

Daily Mail​

25-04-2025

Invisible Boys star Joseph Zada has scored his big Hollywood break by being cast in the leading role in the upcoming The Hunger Games movie.
The Aussie actor, 20, beat out hundreds of fellow actors auditioning for the coveted role in the prequel film Sunrise on the Reaping, set almost 30 years before The Hunger Games trilogy.
Joseph will play a younger version of iconic character Haymitch Abernathy, who was portrayed by Woody Harrelson from 2012 to 2015.
'After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, [Zada] stood out,' Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-President Erin Westerman said in a statement.
'Not just for talent, but for the emotional truth brought to the iconic role. Haymitch has always been a fan favourite.
'His origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise. We can't wait for fans to experience the story that shaped one of the most compelling characters in the series.'
The movie is set to be released in November 2026 and is directed by veteran The Hunger Games filmmaker Francis Lawrence.
It will co-star Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star Whitney Peak and I, Tonya actress Mckenna Grace.
The Hunger Games movies are based on the book series by Suzanne Collins and tell the story of Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America.
The Hunger Games are an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12–18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle to the death.
Joseph rose to fame earlier this year in the lead role in the Stan series Invisible Boys, opposite Pia Miranda.
In February, Invisible Boys author Holden Sheppard revealed why he thinks the Stan Original Series based on his best-selling novel is more relevant than ever.
The Australian writer said the adaptation of his 2019 Young Adult book about four gay teenagers living in a small Western Australian town is a story that needs to be told in the politically charged world of 2025.
'The show is dropping in a more hostile environment than the book did. The book came out in 2019 and there was this sense that same-sex marriage had just been legalised in Australia,' Holden told Daily Mail Australia.
'People were like, maybe we don't need stories like this anymore. But 2025 turns out to be needing this story more than we did six years ago, so I am glad,' he said.
'It's like a little beacon of hope right now. Let's show four young gay men being defiant, being bold, proud and just giving the middle finger to the world.'
The shock US election win of Republican candidate Donald Trump in November has led to a surge of conservative policies being implemented in America, with his executive orders being seen to target the transgender community.
It has also led to an influx 'anti-gay' views being openly discussed on social media by conservatives who feel empowered by Trump's victory.
Holden's book draws on his own experiences as a young gay teenager growing up in the regional WA town of Geraldton - and he worked hard to ensure the Stan series authentically portrayed gay relationships.
He believes the series will appeal to all kinds of viewers because the themes explored are universal.