Jesse Plemons has revealed he almost turned down his role in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping because of his deep respect for the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who previously played the character.
The 38-year-old actor portrays a young Plutarch Heavensbee, a secret rebel-insider, in the upcoming film. Hoffman, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2006 for his role as Truman Capote in Capote, first appeared as Heavensbee in 2013's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and reprised the role in two sequels.
Reservations rooted in admiration
Speaking to The Standard at the London fan screening event at Westfield on Wednesday, October 28, Plemons said his hesitation came from his feelings toward Hoffman. "My reservations about taking it on had everything to do with my admiration and love for Hoffman," he explained.
His initial instinct was to think: "I don't really wanna touch that." He compared the situation to music biopics, saying, "It's like, 'Let's just leave that alone.'"
Hoffman died in 2014 of an accidental drug overdose just eight days before completing the shoot for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.
Stepping into a pivotal role
Plemons said he was ultimately drawn to the project despite his concerns. "But I thought that it's really the character and, and Francis and the cast. There was more that enticed me about the world and the character," he said.
Asked how he approached playing one of the franchise's most important characters, Plemons said studying the book and the script were "such big pieces to the puzzle." He added: "It is interesting sort of knowing where a character is heading and then filling in the sort of backstory," referring to playing a character at the beginning of their journey.
The sixth film in the dystopian franchise, based on the novels by Suzanne Collins, is due for release on November 20, 2026.
