NEW YORK − The sun is rising on another Reaping Day − for now. The sixth installment in the beloved "Hunger Games" film franchise is coming to theaters Nov. 20, stepping back into the arena (and rebellion)
for the Second Quarter Quell.
Ahead of "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," Julianne Moore is reflecting on how she landed her role as President Alma Coin in the "Mockingjay" films. Coin was the calculating leader of District 13, who looks to lead Panem through the district's revolution. But in contrast to her character's ruthless nature, Moore joined the dystopian series for quite an endearing reason: her kids adored the books.
Moore still remembers buying her son a copy of "Mockingjay" in 2010, she shares with USA TODAY.
Caleb Moore Freundlich, now 28, "just loved" the series, she says. Years later, the books were passed down to his younger sister, Liv, who brought them on a family vacation. While her kids were swimming, Moore decided to see what the hype was all about.
"I hadn't brought a book and she had the 'Hunger Games.' I read it and I was like, this is great," Moore, 65, says. "Then I got to ('Mockingjay'), and I was like, 'There's a role for me.' I called my manager and was like, 'I'm going to play President Coin.' "
"Suzanne Collins is such a wonderful writer," she adds. "In terms of political systems, she's great."
Moore hasn't read the latest prequel yet, but she's excited to see so many actors she likes in the film. In October, producer Nina Jacobson told USA TODAY that the film landed its "dream cast" with stars like Ralph Fiennes portraying President Snow and Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman.
"I understand how those books are such a big deal to your generation," Moore says of the series' "cultural significance" for Gen Z and millennials. "For me, it was fun to be in them because of my kids' involvement in it, too."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Julianne Moore shares the story of how she was cast in 'Hunger Games'
