5 Reasons Alex Pettyfer Is All Wrong for 'The Hunger Games'
By Sandie Angulo Chen | March 11, 2011 |
Alex Pettyfer is undeniably pretty. So pretty, in fact, that movie studios -- to the delight of his fans -- have been vying to cast him in roles in highly anticipated YA fare such as Jace in "Mortal Instruments," Tom in "The Last Apprentice" and Peeta in "The Hunger Games."
But of the hot Brit's three potential roles, we're actually hoping that Pettyfer gets passed over for Peeta. There, we said it. Nothing personal, Alex, we just don't think you're right for such a critical role, especially in a movie franchise that could rival "Twilight" in terms of fan reach and box-office pull.
Sure, Pettyfer looks the part for a "Hunger Games" lead. As anyone who has read Suzanne Collins' beloved dystopian thriller knows, Peeta Mellark is handsome and strong, with blue eyes, wavy ash-blond hair and a muscular build from years of hauling 100-pound bags of flour (he's a baker's son). But Peeta is much more than a pretty face atop a sculpted six-pack. He's charismatic, kind, honest, selfless and loving -- all with an intensity that bubbles just beneath the surface, and Pettyfer just couldn't pull that off that nuanced a role.
Here are five more reasons why Pettyfer should not be cast as "The Boy With the Bread."
1. He can't contend with the Katniss frontrunners. The short-list for "Hunger Games" protagonist Katniss Everdeen has reportedly narrowed down to a handful of talented young actresses, including no less than four Oscar nominees (Abigail Breslin, Jennifer Lawrence, Saoirse Ronan, and Hailee Steinfeld). The actor who plays Katniss's love interest needs the acting chops to help carry what could be the biggest YA franchise since that glittery vampire love story. Based on his last two performances, in "I Am Number Four" and "Beastly," we're concerned that Pettyfer's not up to the task.
2. He's *too* hot. Seriously, it's distracting and not in a good way. If anything, it's Gale -- Peeta's rival for Katniss' affection-- who's more the heartthrob (but he's also olive-skinned, dark-haired and has lived a hard life of hunting and coal-mining -- so he's also not a good fit for Pettyfer). Looking at the slate of potential Katnisses, they're all lovely but not a one of them is a young supermodel type. Talent first, hotness second, please!
3. He's not yet a box-office draw. His back-to-back teen flicks haven't become hits. "Beastly" opened third this weekend and "I Am Number Four" has made just a tad more than $46 million in the past two weeks. We're not sure if the rumor he initially asked for $10 million to play Jace is true, but casting agents seem more in love with him than audiences.
4. He's overconfident. Perhaps it's the unalienable privilege of being that attractive, but the guy's hot and knows it. He was, after all, a model before he turned to acting. On-screen, he can't help but come off as cocky, seductive, and over-confident. Those traits describe a pivotal character in the second and third "Hunger Games" books (Finnick, for those of you who've read along), or better yet, Jace --the cocky, gorgeous demon-hunter from "The Mortal Instruments"-- but they do not describe Peeta.
5. He hasn't quite won over the critics. Yeah, we know there are plenty of popular, beloved movies and performers that have been dissed by critics. But "Hunger Games" director Gary Ross isn't some studio hack who's gonna make something just for the dollars. He's a respected filmmaker who's auditioning Serious Young Actresses, so all those "he's just a pretty boy" reviews should mean something to him. Variety critic Peter Debruge called Pettyfer "incapable of conveying... anguish." That's bad news considering Peeta faces death again and again.
Who would be a good Peeta? We're fans of Lucas Till, who's already worked with one of our favorite frontunners for Katniss, Jennifer Lawerence, in the upcoming "X-Men: First Class." At 20, Till is still young enough to co-star opposite the potentially younger Katnisses like Hailee Steinfeld, Saiorse Ronan or Chloe Moretz. He looks like a guy who's strong enough to kill when absolutely necessary but who's sensitive enough to bake and paint and not be threatened by a girl who's much more kick-ass than he is.
If Katniss were played by an actress old enough to vote, such as Lawrence or Kaya Scodelario, we'd also support a consistent fan favorite, "Weeds" star Hunter Parrish. He can be surprisingly intense despite his innocent, youthful looks. But at 23, he's too old to cast with any Katniss who isn't already of age.
Ultimately, we hope the "Hunger Games" powers that be will cast Katniss first and then audition the hell out of any potential Peetas (and Gales!) to see if the chemistry fits. And whatever the filmmakers do, they’d be well advised to ignore the fangirl clamor for Pettyfer, who could never be the Boy With the Bread.
