20 curiosities about the Hunger Games saga

Everything you need to know about the films starring Jennifer Lawrence.

1. Suzanne Collins hadn’t initially planned a trilogy but knew that Katniss would be punished for almost swallowing the Night Bites.
2. The surname Everdeen refers to Bathsheba Everdene, which appears in the 19th-century novel, Far From the Madding Crowd [“From the mad crowd” by Thomas Hardy].
3. The original inspiration for Hunger Games is the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, which frightened Collins when she was a child. [Read here our in-depth analysis of the mythological references within the saga].
4. Author Suzanne Collins has been trained in sword fighting but believes that if she ever went to the Games she would only get a 4 in the Private Session with Strategists.
5. To reproduce the Bites of the Night, partly frozen blueberries were used in the first film.
6. The most uncomfortable thing worn by Effie Trinket? Long and decorated nails, says Elizabeth Banks, even needed help to unbutton her clothes!
7. The homonymous plant of Katniss is also called “arrowhead”.
8. Elizabeth Banks’ favorite costume is the dress with monarch butterflies made by Alexander McQueen for The Fire Girl.
9. Jennifer Lawrence’s is the dress she wears during the Tribute Parade in The Fire Girl.
10. To write the books, Suzanne Collins read some survival books and used her father’s knowledge of hunting and finding food.
11. The Hunger Games trilogy has been translated into 51 different languages.
12. Julianne Moore said it was her two children, both fans of the books, who convinced her to accept the role of Alma Coin.
13. Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence were both born in Kentucky, known for its coal mines – just like District 12!
14. During scenes where Haymitch is at the table, vegan Woody Harrelson is shown only eating vegetables and sweets.
15. Katniss’s name was present 20 times during the Harvest, Prim’s, however, only once.
16. Donald Sutherland was so touched by his character that he sent a 3-page email to Gary Ross, director of Hunger Games.
17. In Hunger Games, 1800 costumes were handmade by Capitol City extras.
18. For the first Hunger Games movie, 35 make-up artists were working full-time on the set and 450 wigs were used.
19. The Hunger Games Exhibition at Discovery Times Square in New York covers 366 square meters.
20. The first scene shot for Hunger Games was the flashback in which Peeta throws bread at Katniss.