Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Stars bid farewell to ‘Games’
THE FILMS have turned them into the most sought- after actors in Hollywood. Now The Hunger Games actors Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth are saying farewell in the final film of the series, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.
In an interview with dpa, they reveal what aspect of the saga they find to be the most important, and how the filming went in Berlin.
dpa: You completed many film shoots in Berlin and the surrounding area. How do you feel about it?
Lawrence: We loved it. Berlin was our favourite place in all the films.
Hutcherson: It’s a bit sad that it is now coming to the end. We loved making these films and would gladly make more of them. But we are still meeting each other. We’re friends and everything is fine.
dpa: It’s a love story that concerns power. What to you is the most important thing about the story?
Hutcherson: To me, it’s about revolution. It’s about achieving change – these people are fighting against tyranny. That’s at the heart of the story. And Katniss is very real. You want to go on this journey with her.
Lawrence: I think it has to do with finding a balance between sacrifice, selflessness and grace. It has to do with the consequences that result when somebody goes to war and the selflessness one needs to achieve change.
Hemsworth: It’s about how an individual can achieve so much and bring hope to people. This is a great message for young people. Each person has a voice.
dpa: What was it like, doing some of the film shoots in historical buildings in Berlin, buildings that were built during times of a dictatorship?
Hutcherson: It almost instils fear in you, and is scary. What we especially liked here in Berlin is there are these buildings and structures that are so imposing, such as Tempelhof Airport. It’s great being able to use it to breathe some life into the film and make sure it is infused with genuine history.
dpa: During the film shooting, did you have a chance to explore the city? Did you find some favourite spots?
Lawrence: The beer garden in the Tiergarten.
Hemsworth: One of the best things about this city is that you can get around everywhere by bicycle. And then the many large parks like the Tiergarten. It was simply a lot of fun riding around and then going to enjoy a beer.
Lawrence: And the huge pretzels!
Hutcherson: I was at the Brandenburg Gate and saw the World Cup match between Germany and Ghana ( watched on bigscreen television). That was unbe- lievable. It felt like a million people were out on the street. It was something really special.
dpa: Does it now feel a bit like graduating from college, when everybody the goes their own way?
Hemsworth: A little bit. But we aren’t going to be separating, or at the most only in terms of our careers. We are such good friends we will always be staying in touch. So this is a happy farewell. – ANA- dpa