Jena Malone Talks About Auditioning in Catching Fire

In a recent article at Vulture, Jena Malone talked about his audition as Johanna Mason as well as in shooting the elevator scene. Check it out below:

Francis has said that a lot of the actresses who auditioned for Johanna just came in and played her as a bitchy girl, but that you came in and seemed genuinely mad. You actually intimidated him. Were you mad? What did you do?



Before the audition, I was like, Fuck, I’m so not an angry person. I mean, I can do intimidating or whatever, a little bit. But I’m much more of a happy-go-lucky, make everyone feel comfortable [person]. Anger’s not something you can fake. It’s something that channels through you, out of nowhere. It’s a hard thing to control. So I was like, Fuck, this is going to be a little complicated, and I don’t wanna go in there and give him something fake and ridiculous. And so, I don’t know what happened, but the morning I woke up, everything started pissing me off. My alarm didn’t go off right; someone called me at five in the morning. I got out of bed on the wrong side of the bed. And I was like, Whoa, whoa, whoa, what’s happening? And I was like, Oh, wait. She’s totally taking over. And so by the time I got to the audition, I was so pissed off. And they were like 30 minutes late, some actor was in there before me, he kept coming out and putting his headphones on and then going back in. And I was like,Jesus, this guy. They’re, like, coddling everybody. He’s trying to cry, he can’t cry. I was so pissed off. They’re wasting my time. By the time I was in there, I was seething; I was frothing at the mouth. I don’t even think I said hello to Francis. I just walked in and said, “Tell me when you want me to start.”


It’s crazy to think some of the younger Catching Fire fans might not have even heard of Stepmom.
No, but it’s so not true! Going on this mall tour, every other girl that came up, she’s like, “Donnie Darko’s my favorite” or “Stepmom’s my favorite.” It really gives you a belief in the eternal shelf-life of film. That’s what’s so exciting about being in the film industry: If something doesn’t stick right away, it can still affect an audience in 20 years, 50 years, 100 years.


Going back to Catching Fire, there are already GIFs of you stripping in the elevator. Not sure if you knew that.
No, I didn’t! And by the way, I didn’t even know what GIFs were. My little sister has been trying to teach me about, like, memes and GIFs. Now I’m kind of obsessed with them.



I love how the face Jennifer Lawrence makes seems more like a Jennifer Lawrence reaction than a Katniss reaction. Not to suggest that she’s not doing a good job acting, but —
Yeah, like I almost pulled her out of herself for one second.


You obviously haven’t shaved your head yet, so does that mean you’re not going to have to for Mockingjay, or you haven’t started shooting your part yet?
I haven’t started filming yet; I start in December. Johanna doesn’t come in until the middle of the Mockingjay novel, so she’s off being tortured. It’s so funny, whilst doing the press tour, that was also like my research tour. Because I start [shooting], like, next week. So I was like, Fuck, basically I get off the press tour and then have to shoot. So I was reading all of these things on torture and thinking all this dark, deep, intense shit … while I’m wearing high heels, hugging these 15-year-old girls.

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Jena Malone Talks About Johanna's Elevator Scene with USA Today

In a recent article from USA Today, Jena Malone was able to share how she managed to strip down in a short time while filming the famous "elevator" scene with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Woody Harrelson. 

"It was a really fast elevator," she says. "At first, we'd get to the door opening, and I'd still be halfway dressed and falling out of the elevator.

"I realized I was going to need some time. I had to choreograph, because I had these bracelets and the whole zipper down the side of the outfit and then taking off the shoes," she adds. "It was literally like a six-second striptease. I became a really good burlesque dancer."

"I finally got all of the timing bits down," Malone says. "And as I turned to go, the elevator doors opened. And there was a guy holding two cups of coffee from Starbucks trying to get onto the elevator. I just walked out. I was like, 'OK, keep going!' And he was totally unfazed. It's like me, naked in all of Joanna's glory, and then Woody Harrelson, Jen (Lawrence) and Josh (Hutcherson) and the camera operator behind me."

"It was the best moment of my life," she adds.

Read more at USA Today.

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Jena Malone's Training in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as Johanna Mason

In the latest article from shape.com, Jena Malone's trainer, Patrick Murphy, was able to share the actress' training for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. 

Jena Malone as Johanna Mason

SHAPE: Malone has said she trained with you five days a week for two months before she even started filming. What was your plan of action to get Jena Hunger Games ready?

PM: Truth be told, I had a great canvas to start with. Our game plan was to incorporate strength and power moves into balance and agility training, with four to five workouts a week. We targeted different muscle groups on different days with varied split routines each week, determined by how Jena was feeling. We might have focused on pushing movements one day and pulling movements the next, always doing core work too. On days we weren't doing resistance training, Jena would do high-intenstiy sprint intervals so we never hit a plateau.

SHAPE: And how did you see her body transform?

PM: Jena went from thin to lean and mean, and by the end of two months, seriously hard and ripped. She had a history of training hard—her body changed very quickly.

SHAPE: In The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Johanna Mason is known for being talented with an ax, how did you incorporate that into her workout?

PM: Her character would be in "do or die" situations so her movements had to be super focused with high intensity. Exercising with resistance bands, cables, weighted bars, and dumbbells prepared her to strike with any weapon; her wrist and handgrip became super strong. After many reps and much practice she made difficult movements look easy!

SHAPE: To sustain all her effort in the gym, what type of nutritional plan did you recommend?

PM: The great news for me was learning that Jena already eats super healthy. I did some fine-tuning by asking her to eat all organic and avoid processed foods; it helped her maintain amazing energy and achieve that lean, ripped body.

SHAPE: What's the best way for women to start integrating Malone’s training strategies into their routine?

PM: First and foremost, you need a strong mindset and the willingness to change—only then will you reach your fitness goals. Commit to becoming super fit and make it a top priority. Also, I recommend that everyone work with a fitness professional, even if it’s periodically to make sure you’re on the proper path for reaching your full potential.

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Behind the Scene Pic of Jennifer Lawrence and Octavia and Flavius - Jena Malone too

In this behind the scene pic, Jennifer Lawrence poses with Nelson Ascensio (Flavius) and Brook Burgundy (Octavia) photo source. Below, you can also see a pic of Jena Malone behind the scene as Johanna Mason. photo source

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Johanna Mason in the New Victors Revealed Poster

Yesterday, the star-crossed lovers were featured on the #VictorsRevealed banner at the hungergamesexplorer.com, now it's Johanna's time. Check it out below:

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Johanna Mason Featured in the Recent Issue of Capitol Couture

So far, we've already seen the profiles of Finnick, Effie, Cinna at the issue of the Capitol Couture at Tumblr. Now, the Capitol has released some photos of Johanna Mason, who will be played by actress Jena Malone.

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Sam Claflin and Jena Malone in Glamour Magazine

Sam Claflin (Finnick) and Jena Malone (Johanna) were featured on the latest issue of Glamour magazine, wherein they also talked about getting their parts in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

We do not own rights to the scans below.

Glamour: Was your part in The Hunger Games tough to get?

Jena: I know they saw every single actress from here till Tuesday. They wanted to find someone who didn’t just physicalize this character, but could also scare people. I don’t know what I did – I guess I scared the hell out of them.

Glamour: Was getting this role like its own Hollywood Hunger Games?

Sam: Finnick is supposed to be this godlike creature. I remember sitting in the audition room and this kid walked in. He was seriously one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen. And I was just, Nah, this is never going to happen.

Outtakes

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Catching Fire Movie Wallpapers

Hello guys, I just wanted to share to you these wallpapers that I created. I hope you like it. Just click on the image to view it in full size. To download, you can just right click it and save.

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First Official Look at Jena Malone as Johanna Mason and Jeffrey Wright as Beetee

The two new Capitol Couture portraits released are from Johanna Mason and Beetee. This is actually our first official look of Jena Malone as Johanna Mason, a sassy victor from District 7, and Jeffrey Wright as Beetee, a victor from District 3. 

Jena Malone as Johanna Mason

Jeffrey Wright as Beetee

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Jena Malone in the Thick for Catching Fire Training

MTV has chatted with Jena Malone, our very own Johanna Mason, during the 2012 Emmy Awards. She mentioned about her excitement and training for Catching Fire.

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"I'm very excited as well, it's going to be great," Malone said. "I just love the books so much. I literally read all three in four days and just was crying at the end. I'm really, really excited to be a part of it."

As a fan of Suzanne Collins' bestselling trilogy, the 27-year-old "Sucker Punch" star clearly has an affinity for her tough-cookie character, though she didn't want to talk too much about why she loves playing Johanna.

"Yeah, we'll get into it when there's more to say," Malone said, before adding that she is in the midst of an intense training regimen to get prepared for all the various physical demands required of the role.

"Oh yeah, I'm in the thick of [training] but excited," she said. "I love that kind of stuff. 'Sucker Punch' kind of got me into a regimen and now I kind of crave it."

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Jena Malone Excited to Play Johanna Mason

Jena Malone, who was officially cast as Johanna Mason this week, has caught up with E! during the Dannijo & Tucker Tea dinner party in Beverly Hills, CA. She said:

For Catching Fire:

"I'm super excited." 

When asked if she's met with director Francis Lawrence.

"We're getting there."

As for preparing for her role, she said:

"One step at a time."

Johanna is a former Hunger Games winner who becomes a rival to Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence).

One thing Malone doesn't need to do is read the Hunger Games novels—she's already done that.

"I read the whole series over a weekend when I had a wisdom tooth out," she said. "I was in bed looking for something to read and my little sister recommended it like a year and a half ago, so she was like, 'You have to read it! You have to read it!' And so I'm glad I finally did and I loved it."

Jena Malone

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Jena Malone is Officially our Johanna Mason in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

After the long wait, we now have an official confirmation from Lionsgate that Jena Malone is cast as Johanna Mason! Have you noticed that they have the same initials? (Philip Hoffman has also the same initials with Plutarch Heavensbee). Anyway, Josh Hutcherson was able to spill some casting stuff when he was asked by an Access Hollywood reporter. He mentioned that Jena Malone is amazing when asked about the new cast in Catching Fire. You can see that video here. If I'm not mistaken that trigger the premature announcement for the Johanna actress. Honestly, I was expecting that casting news about the important characters like Johanna and Finnick will be announced later than the others. 

Here's Lionsgate's official press release:

Santa Monica, CA, July 23, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Jena Malone has been cast in the role of Johanna Mason in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire.  Johanna Mason is a female victor from a past Games still in her early twenties, and is one of the youngest, but also one of the most psychologically scarred Quarter Quell participants. 

Malone recently starred opposite Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton in the History Channel's Emmy® nominated mini-series Hatfields & McCoys.  The mini-series broke cable records and is the new most-watched entertainment telecast of all time on cable. Her additional credits include Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch, Oren Moverman's The Messenger, and Sean Penn's Into the Wild.  She will soon begin production on Lonely Hunter.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts.  Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75^th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has over 50 million copies in print in the U.S. alone. 

 

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.

Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com

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Johanna Mason is Offered to Jena Malone According to The Hollywood Reporter

Last week, EW has tossed Jena Malone into the Johanna Mason casting rumors mix and now The Hollywood Report (THR) has claimed that Lionsgate has offered the role to the Sucker Punch and Saved actress. On the other hand, Deadline has reported that Zoe Aggeliki is the front runner for the coveted role. Well, Lionsgate has not released any official announcements yet so that means we can still assume that any roles, either for Johanna or not, would still be considered open. For me, if Jena Malone would be cast as Johanna Mason, apart from the fact that they have the same initials (LOL), I think she can be great. She can definitely act and I guess she can be a weakling but at the same she can kill any tributes without blinking. Anyway,  here is THR's statement about the news:

The Sucker Punch actress is in talks to play snide tribute Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire, a key role that will be reprised in the trilogy’s third installment, Mockingjay.

Malone has the offer and is in early negotiations for the part, according to sources. The move nixes premature reports that pegged newbie actress-model Zoe Aggeliki as the front-runner to play the ax-wielding former Hunger Games winner from District 7, who aligns with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) in their return to the arena for an all-star death match.

The role requires a mix of wit and physicality. Although Mason enjoys some of the best one-liners in the Suzanne Collins novel, her first appearance finds her stripping out of her tribute costume in an effort to make Katniss uncomfortable.

The movie is heading for a late-September start with director Francis Lawrence.
Malone, repped by Gersh and Hirsch Wallerstein, most recently appeared in History’s hit miniseries Hatfields & McCoys.

 You should see this video if you think Jena Malone can't be as tough as Johanna Mason. It shows clips from her role as Rocket in Sucker Punch.






The video below can show the weak or the fragile side of Jena Malone in Saved, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, The Go-Getter, Four Last Songs, The United States of Leland, Confessions of an American Girl.

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Johanna Mason Casting Rumor: Jena Malone is Rumored to Play the Coveted Role

According to EW, Jena Malone (Sucker Punch and Saved!) is rumored to play Johanna Mason in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."

The character is described in author Suzanne Collins’ bestseller as possessing “a wicked ability to murder,” winning her Hunger Games by pretending to be weak and then picking off the other tributes. One open question about the character is whether director Francis Lawrence will keep Johanna’s introduction from the book, in which she first meets heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) naked — save for her green slippers.

Malone began her acting career at 12 years old in the acclaimed Showtime movie Bastard out of Carolina and as a young Jodie Foster in the sci-fi drama Contact. She most recently appeared in History’s ratings-record-breaking miniseries Hatfields & McCoys.

Jena Malone

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