Who should play Coin?

[Anchee]

I basically would want them to be as stealth as possible about Coin. People might not (or probably wouldn't) figure out right away she's evil, but would know she's a really big player in the story. Not some cold authority that you see in the control room a few times in MJ1. By getting PSH for head gamemaker you're already letting people know that the new gamemaker will be more important than the old one who was played by Wes Bentley. You don't get PSH to play a role like the one Wes Bentley had, you get him to play someone more important. And I don't mind that they did that, I think PSH is perfect for the role. But I want more "stealth mode" with Coin. Just so it's not Meryl Streep (I seem to have the biggest problem with her ), but someone less big (when it comes to her acting status and mainstream-ness. I mean, she's a symbol for great acting) and less imposing (I think she can "steal" the screen from anyone, that's what I mean by imposing). Like I said, Tilda would already work. For general audience she's not so well known (I just remember my friend's face when I mentioned her and I had to mention Narnia to her to make her remember who Tilda is) and she's still a great actor. Basically, all of this makes some difference for general movie going audience who hasn't read the books. For any of us it's not so important because we already know how big Coin is gonna be.
Also, I agree on not getting someone who seen as playing mostly evil roles.

Edit: Btw, I don't think the absolutely have to do this. Or if they don't do what I suggest that the movie will be ruined. I just thought it might be nice if they go that way. If they don't, like I said, for me it doesn't matter, I know who Coin is anyway.

[District2878]

I brought up Swinton not because she is your stereotypical Hollywood beauty, I brought her up because she's the exact opposite of a traditional Hollywood leading lady. Although she started as a model and does have a striking androgenous appearance it is her ability to be physically imposing and vulnerable or strong at the same time that makes her so appealing for the role. I think she would look great next to Jennifer, standout actually, which is important not to have whoever plays Coin get lost in the sea of all those pretty faces.

While I agree that Swinton is not a stereotypical Hollywood actress, I think that my take on the kind of villian Coin is supposed to be, in the books anyway, is that she is NOT meant to be the imposing antagonist who goes "mano-a-mano" (or "womano-a-womano") with Katniss.  That's Snow's role, not Coin's.  Actually, the book version of Snow, described as a small man, is actually not even as imposing as Donald Sutherland's portrayal of him.

Note, for example, that Snow always confronts Katniss one-on-one, and while I assume Snow had advisers, we never see them.  Contrast that to how, whenever Katniss sees Coin in D13, she surrounds herself with a cadre of advisers, dresses in the same D13 uniform as the other soldiers, and tries to present herself as fair and balanced.  She even vetoes Gale's plans to destroy the Nut and block all exits to ensure a massacre of everyone in the structure. 

Now, as it turns out, Coin is actually just as ruthless and power-hungry as Snow, and tellingly, when she convenes the Victors to vote on the "Capitol Hunger Games", she is alone.  But what's important is that, although she is a tyrannical dictator at heart, she doesn't present herself that way.  She doesn't try to intimidate her enemies, or win allies based on her own charisma and presence, because she knows she doesn't have it, but uses Katniss and others to do that job for her.  Note that she uses Katniss not just to inspire the rebels, but to distract Snow.  That's what makes someone like her so dangerous.  She deliberately presents herself as a combination of a bland bureaucrat and a professional soldier, who can be overlooked; NOT a polarizing political figure who can inspire both love and loathing.

Now, I used to think that SC really cheated us out of character development for Coin, but I'm starting to think that this was deliberate on her part, that she avoided giving us a backstory for Coin, because Coin wasn't really meant to be a "standout" villian, but more a representative of a certain type of evil. Note that Katniss doesn't feel any great catharsis from killing Coin, and I think that's because she realized that while killing Coin MIGHT have turned the tide, achieving real reform is about a lot more than just killing off the evil leader, and that there are a lot more people like Coin who could simply rise up and take her place.  (As it turns out, it seems that Paylor was likely a better leader than Coin, but Katniss had no way of knowing that.)

All this being said, the movie version of Coin could certainly wind up being presented as more of an imposing, standout figure, with more character development and backstory, and if they go this route, I can certainly see Swinton in the role.  However, I personally don't want the movie audience to immediately suspect Coin of being a villian/antagonist, but slowly come to that realization, much like Katniss herself does.  This would also contrast her character development with that of Snow, who had a much more prominent role in the THG movie in than the book; the movie's already shown us what makes Snow tick, way before he does anything to directly antagonize Katniss.  I'd prefer thd.e MJ movies NOT do that with Coin.  Remember, not everyone who sees the movies, will have read the books.

Well said indeed.

The nature of Snow's and Katniss's relationship is that of the arch villain who's power is threatened by our reluctant heroine, there is a personal quality to their relationship that is absent in Katniss's dynamic with Coin.  Coin has her own agenda.  She is a tyrannical dictator who has taken her socialist regime to extremes and at times presents communistic qualities.  Coin as an opportunist, unconcerned with the personal battles waged between Snow and Katniss.  I think the importance of her character is to show the readers how dictatorships evolve, how evil is sometimes born out of necessity and how unassuming bureaucrat can seize power in order to impose their rule.

I see Swinton as someone who can portray a quiet dominance, strength that is not physical in nature but derived from the bureaucracy she has created.  You'll pay attention to her, and the movie only fans who are familiar with her as an actress will know that her being in this role means it's important but will still have to wait for the story to unfold in order to appreciate her character.