Deadline Reporting Sam Claflin in the Lead for Finnick

@crystal– hahaha, that’s okay. i don’t have kids but i figure anyone would be tired in your case.

i agree with SPM. although i don’t feel about the first movie as you two feel, your position is more than understandable. you’ve watched the film and formed your own opinion about it, that’s okay. i just don’t want you psyching yourself out over one casting decision, either. we can’t know finnick (or the movie as a whole) will be mind-blowingly amazing, but we don’t know for sure that it’ll be a bust either. so standing somewhere in the middle is a good idea, if you can get there. if people can give sam, or whoever gets the role (not to mention the movie itself), a fair chance, i’d be happy with that.

re: the pictures, i agree that he looks better when he’s not smiling. his red carpet tight-lipped smile makes him come across as uncomfortable or awkward. when it’s a more natural grin, though, i think he looks really handsome (though, of course, that’s just my personal opinion):

http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Sam+Claflin/Stars+Out+Snow+White+Huntsman+Madrid/z-qQaqjN270

http://cdn03.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/swath-qna/swath-q-and-a-05.jpg

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vI8hI5IUVxE/0.jpg

http://media4.onsugar.com/files/2012/07/29/3/192/1922398/SAM_LG.preview/i/Sam-Claflin-Play-Finnick-Catching-Fire-Video.jpg

http://cdn.crushable.com/files/2012/05/wenn3915532-640×857.jpg

Ryan Lochte anyone??

I tend to agree with She and 11th Heaven. I didn’t even find Finnick to be as important in the books as many others did, and maybe that’s why I’m not as excited about this process. A lot of people who are wary of this news seem to think, “if they blow the Finnick casting, the whole movie will be ruined!” I agree with those who don’t want to have blind faith that the casting will be successful. BUT, I don’t think that the “wrong” Finnick will necessarily “ruin” the movie.

Also, re carla’s comment:
““perfect casting”? no, there’s no such thing. they can’t pluck the character out of our minds and put him on screen.” I think there’s a big difference between saying that the actors don’t fit your own mental images of the characters, and saying this means the casting was *wrong*. Because we all have different mental images of the characters, it’s impossible for LG to please all of us.

For example, I agree with some people here that J-Hutch doesn’t fit my own mental image of Peeta in terms of looks, even with blond-dyed hair. But, I really didn’t find that a problem in the movie. I also think that from all the Josh interviews I’ve see, that his personality is a great fit. BUT I don’t think THG really took advantage of that. I cringe every time I see yet another still from the movie that shows Peeta with a nervous, scared look. I think Josh did the best he could with what was given, but I hope CF gives him a lot more.

All that being said, even though Peeta’s actually my favorite book character, I did not find the deficits in his THG characterization to “ruin” the movie, or make me not want to get the DVD. I think the movie did a great job in introducing us to the Panem universe.

I’m also starting to feel bad for Sam Claflin, unlike all the other official casting choices so far, it seems almost no one is willing to even give him a chance. At least not on this site; the reaction seems to be a little more positive on some other fansites.

@FinnickLover – I kinda feel sorry for ANY actor cast when there’s a real life Finnick on TV every night!

I actually feel like he looks more like Finnick in his unsmiling photos.
http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2011_Pirates_of_the_Caribbean:_On_Stranger_Tides/2011_pirates_of_the_caribbean_on_stranger_tides_014.jpg

Maybe it’s just me but… he sorta looks like he could be looking at Annie in this picture.

@crystal– let’s hope he does, then. erm, IF he’s even the one, that is. lionsgate, if you would be so kind as to tell us…? *sigh*

*points up* so, basically everything satsuma said, that’s where i’m standing. *nods*

Ah, therein lies the fundamental difference. I loved the movie, and I’m not disappointed with it at all. The gripes I have about casting are outweighed by the advantages (like Josh’s height, or actually Jennifer’s.. if she were smaller then Josh’s, Sam’s, or Johanna’s height wouldn’t matter.. but I still adore her as Katniss so I would never in a million years change that casting).

I also will repeat that Sam will not only NOT be given contacts, but he will not need them. His eyes are a very interesting green-grey which will look good on film, even if it will be noticeable in close-ups. And even if his eyes were brown or black, I don’t think they’d give him contacts. Who really cares about eye color other than the hardcore fans (and even then, only the ones who care about Finnick, and even then only the ones who really really wanted that eye color)? It’s simply not worth the trouble, it’s not part of the story.

So I hope no one’s getting their hopes up for contacts, I’m 99% sure they wouldn’t do that for Sam or any other actor that might play Finnick (or play anyone at all, for that matter).

I’m also pretty sure they won’t give him a voice coach unless he’s never done an American accent before, and pretty much all British actors working in the US have done American accents. He must have auditioned, and he would have had to do the accent then. It’s much easier for Brits to do an American accent than the other way around, there’s a lot of actors out there people don’t know are British because their accent is so convincing. That doesn’t really happen the other way around.. so I’m not worried.

So they’ll have him work out and dye his hair, and he’ll hide his accent, same as Liam. I suppose they’ll also tan him, but I’m not sure how much.. I guess we’ll see!

Oh so Hedlund may of auditioned, ok I’ll let everyone keep hoping then. I just wish they would announce the casting so everyone can celebrate or cope with whoever is chosen,

Even though I’m more than happy to accept Sam Claflin as Finnick, I definitely empathize with @Crystal and @SPM. My THG movie experience seems to have followed the same exact path as their’s. Although I enjoyed the film and process of book to movie, when I start to really analyze it, I’m always left with a sense of what could have been. I guess it’s left me with much lower and probably more realistic expectations this time around — which is both good and kind of a bummer.

@satsuma “I also think that from all the Josh interviews I’ve see, that his personality is a great fit. BUT I don’t think THG really took advantage of that. I cringe every time I see yet another still from the movie that shows Peeta with a nervous, scared look. I think Josh did the best he could with what was given, but I hope CF gives him a lot more.”

THIS is precisely why I’ve come to a point now of not getting too revved up by the casting.  Most of these actors are way more than competent, and will look their parts when all is said, done and ready for the cameras. For me, its really going to come down to whether the script, direction and editing give us the book characters or some movie hybrid. Even the most “perfect” casting can suffer when character-defining dialogue and actions are tampered with, omitted, given to other characters, etc.

@SPM-this is way off topic, but your comment about Jen’s age being a constant distraction reminded me of something that was a distraction for me–the blue sweater Peeta wore when they were discussing their skills. Peeta was my favorite character in the book and I felt he looked goofy.

I LOVE HIM!!!! I’d be HAPPY if this is TRUE!! Haters gonna HATE bakers gonna BAKE!! haha!!

@LR – LOL, yep. Not his best look.

@satsuma – yeah, they find an actor who’s similar to Peeta IRL and then they…give him nothing to work with. Josh oozes confidence, so it’s a mystery to me why they made him check his personality at the door to play this role.

@LR– in my case, it was the outfit he was wearing during the last interview, after they’ve won. i loved that scene, but in the back of my mind i kept going: “oh wow, does don johnson know they raided his wardrobe?” it didn’t put me off, though, i just found it funny.

@carla-I didn’t even make the connection to Don Johnson until you mentioned it, I’m old enough to remember Miami Vice and didn’t like the look back then. Hopefully he’s not wearing clothes like that walking around D12.

Hahahah on the clothing comments, Peeta’s most distracting outfit for me was his pre-games interview suit actually, the flames on the sleeves looked like cheap iron-on transfers (which I suspect is what they probably were)

I really don’t know where I stand in this, I’m going to steal some of Crystal and SPM’s thoughts on the movie, some of satsuma’s and some of carla’s lol There were moments that disappointed me, but overall I was very happy with the film and have been counting down the days until the bluray release. Most of my problems with the film stem from dialogue that was left out and the rushed ending. The Dark Knight Rises just goes to prove an audience will sit through a great film, so Gary really could have had another 5-10 minutes.

As Kaleiney had above, it’s the script I am far more worried about. If they undersell the true feelings between Katniss and Peeta I will not be happy. And while I thought Finnick was a great character I have to agree that he is not the star of the show. I am actually looking forward to seeing more of Johanna than Finnick.

As for Sam.. He is not my choice either, but if he is what we get instead of the Alex Pettyfer’s of the world then happy days.

Just read back the above, sorry if it sounds like I am comparing DKR and HG, I’m not. I just meant it as an example of time.

Yeah, Peeta’s 80s look at the end of the movie really struck me – even down to his hair. Miami Vice is a very apt description. For my fellow 80s compatriots, it had some sweet theme music too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQDU-2qMre0

It would be hilariously awesome if they used this as Peeta’s entrance music whenever he came onscreen in CF.

Going by the pockmarks and gravelly voice, yes. Crazy times.

@tash– that alex pettyfer comment. is it too soon to tell you that i love you? hahaha, that made my day.

@SPM– oh wow, the theme song! LMAO. if i start laughing like a maniac during the interview scenes in CF, i’m blaming you.

@carla – don’t worry, it’ll be an integral part of my Hunger Games spoof script. Which I am suddenly dying to write.

Just saw a comment on youtube where someone asked if they were the only ones who pictured finnick as gotye ahahahaha I’m still laughing at it

Ewww.

@Kaleiney: I couldn’t agree more with your post about the first movie.
@satsuma: After I saw the film, I asked myself: “Why SC said for Peeta they needed a boy who could use language? Movie Peeta didn’t have a way with words, he barely spoke and when he did, he said nothing interesting.” And it is a pity. Why did they bother to find someone as charming and likeable as Peeta, someone whose character is close to Peeta’s, when in the end the actor didn’t need those skills? Except for few lines and the roof dialogue, Hutcherson really didn’t have a chance to shine. And that’s why I think you Finnick fans should be prepared that you’ll get no book Finnick, but, as Kaleiney said, some movie hybrid. In this case, it really doesn’t matter if the actor chosen will look/act like book Finnick. After the first film, I don’t have any high expectations. Maybe I enjoy the same things I loved in the first movie: things that weren’t in the book. I’m looking forward to Plutarch and his facial hair, LOL.
@to everybody, who was more or less disappointed with the first film: Remember, we still have the books. And no movie ever will be better than the book…

@carla – Awww shucks It’s never too early! I love you too

@SPM – Please do make that spoof, I was born in ’87 but I do know what Miami Vice is and that had me cracking up! And like carla I am holding you totally responsible for my reaction in CF

@She – I think your last point was a great one. It seems to me too that everyone took away something different from both the books and the movie, and everyone’s experience differs which I think is absolutely wonderful. I will always remember Suzanne Collins saying she thought that the movie was a complementary piece to the book, and I thought that was very true.

@carla – It’s your fault. Can’t drop Don Johnson into a conversation and walk away.

I love those blog entries that combine a still of K/P in the final interview, with a pic of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, dressed for dancing in their yellow and blue finery. The similarities are hilarious! So, now, I’ve got the Don Johnson image going, too….thanks for that!

And I looked sideways at the blue sweater, too, because I have one that looks exactly like it….and I wear it with a black pencil skirt. I think I’ll just tell people its a piece from THG movie wardrobe! (I can certainly understand why JH said his favorite outfits were the arena one and those maroon high tech sweats! )

The neckline was what killed that sweater, IMO. The color wasn’t bad on him.

Ok, first off Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!…

No because he looks to be around 30. And if they die his hair and make him have those famous “Sea Green Eyes” do you really think he’ll look good? No offence to anyone but Finnick is suppose to be hot and Sam’s not hot. Well I know an actor (well I don’t know him personly but you know what I mean) that has bronze hair, is closer to the age and is really hot… HUNTER PARRISH!!! It is so creepy how much he looks like Finnick plus he can act really good. Anyway Sam is so not the Finnick for me because I want Astrid Berges Frisbey to play Annie and it would not be right if they played in the same movie together.( Pirates Of The Caribbean) And Sam does not look like the Finnick I pictured I can not stress that enough!! Why don’t you want Hunter to play the role of Finnick??? Is it because he’s too short?? I mean come on they can fix that just look at Josh Hutcherson. One more thing why I don’t want Sam to play Finnick is (well there’s alot more but my fingers hurt from typing to fast) How good is his American accent????? Team Peeta or Team Gale? No, wait, we should all be on Team Hunter for Finnick!!!!!

Personly I can’t picture him being Finnick.

@Hunter For Finnick- He does look to be older than he is, but he’s only 26. Originally I wanted Garrett but I think he’s out of the picture. I can see Hunter having this role becuse there’s something about him that makes him look like- I don’t know- like a victor? And he has the ability to act like “You want a suger cube?”

ohh!! common give him an oppurtunity, he seems to be a good actor an i think that is good looking.

Why havent they posted that he’s officially cast as Finnick? It says on Sam’s wikipedia page that he’s going to be playing Finnick in his filmography……

Why havent they posted that he’s officially cast as Finnick? It says on Sam’s wikipedia page that he’s going to be playing Finnick in his filmography…… And you guys should give him a chance.. obviously he wouldnt have been given the role if he wasnt good… and alot of people at first didnt think Jennifer Lawrence was right for Katniss before the movie came out.. But she ended up being really great (my personal opinion). so calm down and wait to see him in the movie and then judge weather he’s right for Finnick or not..

Also hair dying is possible people! Take a look at Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence! And myabe hunter parrish wasnt right for the role (no offnese) but i think all the actors who got the roles for Catching Fire will be great

What???

At first I was a bit unsure but I’m starting to warm to the idea. After all, as Alyssa_Powell_98 said, they wouldn’t cast him if they didn’t think he was fit to play Finnick.

I’m perfectly fine with him being cast, though i’ll admit others were at the forefront in my mind. He’s a good actor, though he doesn’t look the part as much as others.

Oh god no

AWESOME!
I love Sam Claflin.
He is my fav actor!
YAY! Can’t wait for the hunger games now!