Jennifer Lawrence auditioned for ‘Twilight,’ so her ‘Hunger Games’ fate could have been different if she got the part of Bella Swan.
The odds weren’t in Jennifer Lawrence’s favor when she auditioned for Twilight, but they were when she gave The Hunger Games a shot. Franchise fans fell in love with Lawrence’s portrayal of Katniss Everdeen. The comical, down-to-earth actor became one of the most recognizable heroines in movies.
But what would have happened if the American Hustle star was cast for Twilight? Some fans wonder whether Lawrence would have still donned the bow-and-arrow gear.
What did Jennifer Lawrence say about her ‘Twilight’ audition?
Many Twilight and Hunger Games fans already know that Lawrence auditioned for Bella Swan. Since Kristen Stewart grabbed the role, Lawrence sat down with The Howard Stern Show and reflected on her audition. The Winter’s Bone actor admitted she hadn’t anticipated Twilight would explode in popularity as much as it did.
“I didn’t really know what [Twilight] was,” Lawrence admitted. “You just got like five pages [at the audition], and they’re like ‘Act, monkey.’ And when it came out, I was like, ‘Hot damn. Whoa.’”
But Lawrence didn’t give up on fantasy films. She auditioned for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. When she didn’t get the role, Lawrence was “truly devastated.”
However, the Don’t Look Up actor claimed she was content with her indie career, saying, “This is perfect. I get to act, and I’m not that famous.”
What would have happened to ‘The Hunger Games’ if Jennifer Lawrence was cast for ‘Twilight’
The Hunger Games premiered on March 12, 2012; The Twilight Saga officially ended when Breaking Dawn – Part 2 premiered on Nov. 16, 2012. Therefore, many fans considered it impossible for Lawrence to film both franchises.
However, filming for The Hunger Games began in May 2011 and finished in September. Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2 commenced production in November 2010 and ended in April 2011. Had Lawrence snagged the role of Bella Swan, she could theoretically have filmed both movies.
But Twilight‘s April 2011 wrap-up and The Hunger Games‘ May 2011 start would have been a short timeframe for the actors. For starters, Lawrence extensively trained for the role of Katniss through archery and rock climbing. Not only that, but she also wouldn’t have had the chance to audition for Katniss if she had finished Breaking Dawn. Lionsgate held auditions at the beginning of 2011 and announced Lawrence’s casting in March. Summit was still filming Twilight through March and April.
Some people didn’t want Lawrence for ‘The Hunger Games’
After Lionsgate chose Lawrence, multiple media outlets criticized the casting choice. According to Fox News, some viewers said Lawrence “didn’t look starving like she was supposed to.” Also, several publications considered the actor “too big” for the role and that her “seductive, womanly figure” delegitimized District 12’s starving community.
Nevertheless, Lawrence is proud of her natural physique. According to Vogue, the star expanded on her refusal to “starve” for any role.
“I’m never going to starve myself for a part,” the Passengers actor said. “I don’t want little girls to be like, ‘Oh, I want to look like Katniss, so I’m going to skip dinner.’ That’s something I was really conscious of during training when you’re trying to get your body to look exactly right. I was trying to get my body to look fit and strong—not thin and underfed.”
