The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes cast: Who stars in the Hunger Games prequel?

Updated: Aug. 15, 2022

Every Hunger Games fan out there is losing their marbles over the upcoming prequel film, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, for various reasons.

The first reason is that this film will reveal more details about the menacing President Snow. In the original film series, Snow was a man who seemed extremely ruthless and refused to let anyone or anything get in the way of his perfect victory. However, now that we know the prequel will follow his life as a youngin, there’s a chance we may get to see a softer side of him, a.ka., the calm before the storm.

The second reason for the excitement about this film is, of course, the cast. While we most likely won’t see the talented Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson featured in the movie, we will get to see even more skilled actors and actresses, some of who you’ll become huge fans of if you’re not already.

Curious to know who’s set to star in the film? Then read on to find out the cast of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes cast

The Gilded Age actor Tom Blyth will play the role of the young Coriolanus Snow, and West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler will play Lucy Gray Baird, the female lead alongside Snow.

In addition to Zegler, the cast of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (so far) include:

• Jerome Lance as Marcus (District 2)
• Knox Gibson as Bobbin (District 8)
• Sofia Sanchez as Wovey (District 8 mentor)
• Mackenzie Lansing as Coral (District 4)
• Max Raphael as Festus Creed (District 4 mentor)
• Zoe Rene as Lysistrata Vickers (District 12 mentor)
• Ayomide Adegun as Pliny “Pup” Harrington (District 7 mentor)
• Amélie Hoeferle as Vipsania Sickle (District 7 mentor)
• Kaitlyn Akinpelumi as Domita Whimsiwick (District 10 mentor)
•  Aamer Husain as Felix Ravinstill
• Ashley Liao as Clemensia Dovecote
• Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth
• Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman (10th Hunger Games host, ancestor of Caesar Flickerman)

Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson will serve as the prequel’s producers once again. Tim Palen, Jim Miller, and Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins are also returning as the film’s executive producers. Additionally, Francis Lawrence, director of the original four-part film series, will reprise his role.

Last but certainly not least, Deadline officially confirmed that Viola Davis, the outstanding actress who secured an Academy Award in 2016 for her role as Rose Lee Maxson in Fences, will play the role of Head Gamemaker Volumnia Gaul. Gaul is described as a “political operator” that works relentlessly to ensure the Hunger Games goes as planned. Perhaps her character will give us insight into how Coriolanus Snow became the menacing antagonist that he was.

Below is what Nina Jacobson had to say about securing Viola Davis for the role:

"From the beginning, Viola has been our dream for Dr. Gaul because of the finely layered intelligence and emotion she brings to every role. A brilliant and eccentric strategist, Gaul is instrumental in shaping a young Coriolanus Snow into the man he will become. We are incredibly fortunate to have an actor with Viola’s extraordinary range and presence to play this pivotal role."

Aside from the cast and crew, the third and final reason for the anticipation for the prequel is the speed at which the movie will officially arrive in theaters. Before we know it, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be in our hands, so be sure to save the date!

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will premiere on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.