‘He's a contradiction!' Ben Wangs teases his Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping role
Ben Wang is 'really excited' to play Wyatt Callow in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'.
The 25-year-old actor has been cast as the District 12 Tribute in the upcoming fantasy blockbuster, and has now teased how the character's duality will factor into the movie's story.
When asked what aspects of Wyatt he was excited to explore, the 'Karate Kid: Legends' star said: 'Oh, there's so many. What really excited me about that character in the first place [is] he's not what he seems.
'I think that's part of the point of his character. He's seen by his community as one thing, but he's another thing underneath, and he's a contradiction.
'He's a logician, but he's got a really big heart, right? He's supposed to be cold and calculating, but he's actually the person who does the most illogical and selfless thing.'
'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' will adapt Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel of the same name, and is the second instalment of the author's 'Hunger Games' prequel trilogy.
In the book - which is set 24 years before 'The Hunger Games' on Panem - Wyatt is a Tribute from District 12, and is described as a 'compulsive oddsmaker' with a keen aptitude for arithmetic and observation, skills he leverages to assess fellow tributes and navigate the Games strategically.
His analytical nature and reserved demeanour position him as a complex figure whose actions significantly influence the dynamics within the arena.
Wang's Wyatt will appear alongside Joseph Zada's Haymitch Abernathy - as previously played by Woody Harrelson in the original 'Hunger Games' movies - while Whitney Peak portrays the protagonist's girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird.
Meanwhile, Maya Hawke will play Wiress - the former Hunger Games champion who now serves as a mentor for those in District 12 - while Mckenna Grace has landed the highly sought-after role of District 12 Tribute Maysilee Donner.
Kieran Culkin, Jesse Plemons and Kelvin Harrison Jr. have also signed on to appear in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping', and will play Caesar Flickerman, Plutarch Heavensbee and Beetee, respectively.
The most recent actor to be added to the cast of 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' is Ralph Fiennes, who will portray President Coriolanus Snow - the role previously held by the late Donald Sutherland in the original 'Hunger Games' films and Tom Blyth in the 2023 prequel 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes'.
In a statement, producer Nina Jacobson said: 'We wanted to honour Donald Sutherland by having one of this generation's greatest actors play President Snow 24 years before Katniss Everdeen entered the arena.
'Working with Ralph has been on my bucket list since he traumatised me for life in 'Schindler's List'. It's genuinely a thrill to welcome him to the Hunger Games.'
'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' - which will be directed by Francis Lawrence - is slated to hit screens in November 2026.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Sadie Stanley explains why she found it 'very natural' to work with Joshua Jackson on Karate Kid
Sadie Stanley found it "very natural" to work with Joshua Jackson on 'Karate Kid: Legends'. The 23-year-old actress plays the on-screen daughter of Jackson's character in the what has become the sixth instalment in the martial arts franchise, and thinks that they gelled so well to begin with because he is a father in his own life. She told ScreenRant: "That process was very natural. We got lunch when we first arrived and hung out for a little bit and just got to know each other. "He has a daughter of his own, Juno, who's adorable, and he is such a dad. He talks about her constantly, gushes about her, shows pictures, talks about what she's into these days and what she's like. He very clearly just has such dad energy." The 'Kim Possible' star noted that her character Mia is "very protective" of her father throughout the story of the film and She said: "Of course, Mia's a little protective of her father. She lost her mom when she was young, and that really forces you to grow up a lot when you're that age. She just has her dad. It's just them two against the world working in this pizza shop trying to make ends meet. "I think that definitely informs her relationships with other people." In the film, Mia strikes up a relationship with Ben Wang's character of Li Fong and noted that was one of the turning points for her on-screen father because it served as a "challenge" in his own life. She said: "I think when she meets Li, she really holds up a mirror to him and challenges him to be more honest with himself and with others. She really sees his potential before he fully sees it in himself. "I think that's really special when you can do that for somebody. Just in general, Mia is a person who sees through the noise, and she's very emotionally intuitive, a grounding force." In the early 1990s, Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank appeared in 'The Next Karate Kid' and Sadie insisted that she would love for the Hollywood star to make a comeback to the franchise. She said: "Absolutely. Great question. Please bring her back. She's fantastic. I'm obsessed with her. That would be so cool. We can have all four of them train Mia."
News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
$200m blockbuster's mega cast stuns world
Sunrise on the Reaping, set 24 years before the events of the first film, had already generated buzz well before its huge casting news, largely fuelled by the popular theory that Suzanne Collins penned the new novel as a tongue-in-cheek punishment for fans who had been sharing President Snow thirst traps across social media. Picture: Instagram If you haven't read the book, Maysilee might be a fresh name, but she's a character you're bound to fall for fast. Picture: Instagram 'HELP, why is he hot?!' was just one of the many buzzing reactions flooding social media when Kelvin Harrison Jr. was announced as Wiress's partner in crime, the brilliant Beetee Latier. Known for his sharp intellect and quiet intensity in roles like Luce and The Queen's Gambit, Harrison Jr. is an inspired choice to bring to life the tech genius who famously rigs a deadly potato trap. Spoiler alert. I can't help but wonder, is this round two of Hunger Games thirst traps? And if so, will Suzanne Collins 'punish' us again with another amazing book? He's expected to earn between $500,000 and $1 million for the role. Picture: Supplied Beetee was originally played by Jeffrey Wright, who is just an Oscar away from an EGOT, having been nominated as Best Actor in the 2023 Academy Awards for American Fiction. Picture: Supplied Newcomers Louella McCoy (L) and Lou Lou (R) have me absolutely terrified - they're so tiny! Fans were quick to point out that Molly McCann bears a striking resemblance to a young Katniss, and if you know, you know. What a sweetheart (cue the tears). And then there was Iona Bell's reveal minutes after Louella's. Fans joked it was as swift as the Capitol was to replace her. Absolutely SCREAMING. Picture: Instagram Wyatt Callow was definitely not what I was expecting! Picture: Instagram Ben Wang first broke out in 2023 with Disney's American Born Chinese, and he's recently been cast as the lead in Karate Kid: Legends. Beyond that, there's not much known about this rising star, except that he's stepping into the role of my favourite oddball from the reaping that I never expected to root for. Picture: Supplied 'That's kinda crazy and cool that she looks like Rachel.' Picture: Supplied Fans will know that Lenore Dove Baird, who will be portrayed by Gossip Girl reboot star Whitney Peak, isn't exactly the Covey you should get attached to, but that won't stop us. Picture: Instagram With whispers linking her to her possible niece, Lucy Gray, I'm fully prepared to catch every haunting similarity, and to have my heart shattered all over again in the process. Picture: Supplied 'Please, why did this actually scare me.' The most unhinged and best reveal so far might just be the latest one, with the marketing team pulling a fast one on fans who were so deep in the world of Panem they momentarily forgot they hadn't actually been reaped. If it weren't limited to the US, I'd volunteer as tribute. Picture: Instagram We are absolutely sat waiting to see who the next A-lister reveal will be. Picture: Facebook
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Perth Now
Ralph Macchio wanted 'Karate Kid: Legends' to be delayed
Ralph Macchio was "screaming constantly every day" for his new movie 'Karate Kid: Legends' to be delayed. The movie - which stars Ralph reprising his role as Daniel LaRusso from the 'Karate Kid' franchise - is set three years after the finale of spin-off TV series 'Cobra Kai' and was initially slated to hit cinemas in 2024 - several months before the show's final episode was due to be broadcast. Now Ralph has revealed he was determined to persuade movie bosses to push the film back so it didn't ruin 'Cobra Kai' for fans. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "Just so you know, when this movie was initially slated for a December 13, 2024 release, I was screaming constantly every day: 'This movie has to come out after ['Cobra Kai'] finishes'. "And once marketing got together and realized that [release date] would not benefit either, they did the right thing [by delaying the film until May 2025]. "'Karate Kid: Legends' is now coming at a time where I like to believe that 'Cobra Kai fans' are thirsty for another chapter. "There's also brand-new fans, who may or may not have even seen Cobra Kai or the original film, that would have a great time at the cinema." 'Cobra Kai' also featured Macchio and ran for six seasons before concluding in February while the release of 'Karate Kid: Legends' was pushed back until May. He added of the film: "It's family viewing and a very positive story of good over evil. And you get to share a communal experience in the theater where you're hopefully high-fiving the stranger next to you because you had a wonderful time. "And when you get home, perhaps your uncle pulls out a DVD of the original 'Karate Kid', and the whole family gets to watch Mr. Miyagi for the first time. It's cool when I have kids run up to me who know who Mr. Miyagi is and think he's the coolest." When asked if there are any plans to continue 'Cobra Kai', Ralph explained: "There are a few balls up in the air. You have to be diplomatically safe, and I don't know which one is going to land. "I hope all of them do, or some of them do, or one of them does. The success of 'Karate Kid: Legends' could propel all that stuff. It's different, but same. There's a Miyagi-ism for you."
