" The Hunger Games " throw away section NEVER MISSES .
This year, beloved authorSuzanne Collinsgifted us another gut-wrenching and brilliant book set inThe Hunger Gamesworld, and it’s honestly all I’ve thought about for weeks.
Sunrise on the Reapingis the second prequel novel in Collins’s series and is set 24 years before the first book’s events. It tells the story of the 50th Hunger Games, aka the Second Quarter Quell, and notably the Games that Haymitch Abernathy competed in and won.
For years, fans have begged for a book detailing Haymitch’s games, and Collins delivered in every possible way. It’s honestly one of the saddest stories in this entire book series.
And just like her previous four books —The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay,andThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes—Sunrise on the Reapingis already scheduled to be adapted into a film by Lionsgate, with a release date set for Nov. 20, 2026.Francis Lawrencewill direct the movie and Billy Ray will write the script.
So, when the book was released a little over a month ago, people already started fancasting who they would want to play all of the characters in the book, especially young Haymitch.
And well, Lionsgate officially unveiled thatJoseph ZadaandWhitney Peakwill play Haymitch Abernathy and Lenore Dove Baird, his girlfriend and a member of the Covey, in the upcoming adaptation.
So, because Joseph and Whitney are joining a long list of beloved leading actors inThe Hunger Gamesfranchise, here’s everything you need to know about them:
Joseph is from Sydney, Australia, and isreportedly20 years old. You can follow him on Instagramhere.
He is a relatively unknown and up-and-coming actor, which is something fans desperately wanted when it came to casting a young Haymitch, who Woody Harrelson plays in the first four movies.
Joseph recently starred in the Australian limited seriesInvisible Boys, which is based on the novel by Holden Sheppard. Alongside this series, he’s also appeared in the Australian TV showTotal Controlin 2024.
In terms of upcoming projects, he’s set to star in the upcoming TV seriesWe Were Liars, an adaptation of the bestselling novel by E. Lockhart. He’s starring as Johnny in the show, which is being adapted byThe Vampire Diariescreator Julie Plec and writer Carina Adly MacKenzie.
He can also be seen in the upcoming Netflix limited seriesEast of Eden, which is an adaptation of the beloved book by John Steinbeck. Joseph will star as Cal Trask, alongside Florence Pugh, Mike Faist, Christopher Abbott, Hoon Lee, Tracy Letts, Martha Plimpton, and more.
As for Whitney, she wasbornin Uganda and grew up in a city outside of Vancouver. She’s 22 years old. You can follow her on Instagramhere.
She started her career with a small role inMolly’s Gamebefore landing a 10-episode arc in Netflix’sChilling Adventures of Sabrinaas Judith Blackwood.
Her breakout moment came in 2021 when she was cast as Zoya Lott in the short-livedGossip Girlreboot on Max. Then, she starred inHocus Pocus 2as Becca. She also appeared in Sabrina Carpenter’smusic video for “Nonsense"in 2022.
She was also named abrand ambassadorfor Chanel in 2021, and in 2023, she was appointed the face of Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle fragrance, making herthe first Black womanto do so.
AlongsideThe Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Whitney can next be seen inShiver, an upcoming thriller movie with Phoebe Dynevor and Djimon Hounsou.
After her casting as Lenore Dove was announced, Whitney reposted an adorable photo of her holding a copy ofSunrise on the Reaping.
And Rachel Zegler, who played Lucy Gray Baird inThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, welcomed her to the Covey family with a sweet Instagram story:
Well, that’s all the casting news forSunrise on the Reapingwe have so far! Personally, I’m so deeply excited to see Joseph and Whitney bring these roles to life. And I will be waiting on the edge of my seat for more news soon — like, Elle Fanning, I need you to play young Effie Trinket, PLEASE.
