CONFIRMED! Jennifer Lawrence to Play Katniss Everdeen in ‘Hunger Games’

Abigail Breslin Gary Ross Hailee Steinfeld Hunger Games Jennifer Lawrence Suzanne Collins

1:02 pm, March 17th, 2011

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Jennifer Lawrence will play heroine Katniss Everdeen in the film adaptation of the massively popular Hunger Games book series, Gossip Cop confirms!

“I can’t wait to work with Jen and see her bring this character to life,” says director Gary Ross.

“Katniss requires a young actress with strength, depth, complexity, tenderness, and power. There are very few people alive who can bring that to a role. Jen brings it in spades. She’s going to be an amazing Katniss.”

Gossip Cop first reported that Lawrence was the front-runner for the role last Saturday.

The Winter’s Bone Oscar nominee beat out a long list of rumored contenders, including Hailee Steinfeld and Abigail Breslin.

Suzanne Collins‘ young adult novels are set in a dystopian future in what used to be the United States. Everdeen (who is 16 years old in the book) participates in the Hunger Games, a government-sponsored televised fight to the death among children.

Of Lawrence’s selection, Collins says, “Jennifer’s just an incredible actress. So powerful, vulnerable, beautiful, unforgiving and brave. I never thought we’d find somebody this perfect for the role. And I can’t wait to see her play it.”

Who else would you like to see in the movie?

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