The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - release date, full cast & who is Lucy Gray Baird?

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The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, will star Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird - the new Katniss Everdeen - see the full cast list

Lionsgate has dropped the long-awaited trailer for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The film has fans more desperate than ever for the star-studded return to Panem.

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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to the iconic film franchise The Hunger Games which included breakthrough performances for the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen, and Liam Hemworth as Gale.

Most of the characters in the prequel will be new to viewers as it takes place 64 years before Katniss even volunteers as tribute, however, they will recognise one character. The film follows the story of a young Coriolanus Snow, the man who later becomes the villainous President Snow, during his time as a mentor for The Hunger Games.

With new characters, comes a slate of brand new actors joining The Hunger Games franchise, and Lionsgate pulled out all the stops. The cast includes the likes of Oscar-winner Viola Davis as Dr Volunmia Gaul, and Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom.

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So, who else has joined the cast of The Hunger Game: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Lucy Gray Baird?

Lucy Gray Baird is the District 12 female tribute and victor of the 10th Hunger Games, she is played by Rachel Zegler in the film adaptation. While she is from the same District as Katniss Everdeen, she was not born there. Baird ended up settling in District 12 when she was travelling as a member of the musical group the Covey.

Coriolanus Snow is assigned to be her mentor, and they develop mutual feelings for each other. She is the writer of the folk ballad The Hanging Tree which Katniss sings in The Mockingjay Part 1.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes release date

The film is set to hit UK cinemas on November 17, 2023.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes full cast

The cast for the highly anticipated Hunger Games prequel film The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has been revealed. (Credit: Getty Images)The cast for the highly anticipated Hunger Games prequel film The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has been revealed. (Credit: Getty Images)
The cast for the highly anticipated Hunger Games prequel film The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has been revealed. (Credit: Getty Images) | Getty Images
  • Tom Blyth as Coriolanus "Coryo" Snow
  • Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird
  • Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom
  • Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow
  • Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth
  • Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman
  • Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul
  • Burn Gorman as Commander Hoff
  • Fionnula Flanagan as Grandma’am
  • Ashley Liao as Clemensia Dovecote
  • Max Raphael as Festus Creed
  • Zoe Renée as Lysistrata Vickers
  • Nick Benson as Jessup
  • Isobel Jesper Jones as Mayfair Lipp
  • Dakota Shapiro as Billy Taupe
  • Vaughan Reilly as Maude Ivory
  • Honor Gillies as Barb Azure
  • Eike Onyambu as Tam Amber
  • Konstantin Taffet as Clerk Carmine
  • George Somner as Spruce
  • Carl Spencer as Smiley
  • Scott Folan as Beanpole
  • Michael Greco as Strabo Plinth
  • Daniela Grubert as Mrs. Plinth
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