Melissa Leo on Losing the Role of Mags and Elizabeth Banks Talks Lynn Cohen
You may remember a while ago we heard rumours from Variety that Melissa Leo was trying out for the part of Mags in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and was then reported by Jeff Sneider that she was out. Now Ms Leo has spoken to Moviefone about her hopes of being cast as Mags:
“I would have liked to have done it, but it doesn’t look like it’ll be mine,” she said while chatting with Moviefone Monday afternoon, in support of her new film, “Why Stop Now.” Informed that Cohen had been confirmed as an addition to the cast, she responded, “Who? Oh, I’ll have to look her up.”
Leo said that being a part of the Hunger Games franchise was “a dear hope.” She hadn’t read the books, she told Moviefone, but the trailer for the first film excited her.
“I’m not much of a reader and that might very well be part of the reason that I did not get the role,” she said.
I love Melissa Leo but if she’s not much of a reader then perhaps Lynn Cohen is better suited. And speaking of Lynn, Effie actress Elizabeth Banks gave her thoughts on the new casting:
Remember [her in] that fantasticly hilarious episode of Sex & the City? She seems like a pretty rad lady and I’m excited to work with her. I know she’ll mentor Finnick like nobody’s business.
Source: Moviefone and ElizabethBanks.com
Lord. Between this and her Oscar poster campaign, methinks she really needs to learn some PR skills.
“Who? Oh, I’ll have to look her up.” The SHAAAADE. I’m a part of the minority that would of loved Melissa but I won’t judge Lynn until I’ve seen the movie.
She was too young for the role, and besides, with that attitude, I wouldn’t cast her either. Looks like we have a sore loser.
Im kinda happy she wasnt cast, part of me only wants actors who read the books and fell in love with them like the rest of us, making it more personal.
Wow, what a catty remark about looking up Lynn Cohen. You’d think someone who has been in this business as long as she has would be more gracious. Also, the fact that she hasn’t read the books, or even just Catching Fire, and hasn’t seen the movie doesn’t sound like someone really putting herself out there for the role. The statement that the trailer really excited her just doesn’t cut it. Anyway, I agree with Brianna, she is too young for the role to begin with.