"I was so in shock" Irish actress Molly McCann on landing role in "Hunger Games" film

Author of the incredibly successful book series-turned-movie franchise, Suzanne Collins, gave the people what they wanted when she wrote "Sunrise on the Reaping", and now we're getting a film.

A host of famous faces have already signed on for the cast, including Elle Fanning and Ralph Fiennes, and a lucky little Irish girl will star alongside the A-listers.

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Molly McCann via United Agents.

Molly McCann of Co Kildare will portray Louella from the best-selling novel, and told EVOKE she was "so in shock" when she found out she had landed the gig.

"I'm just, I'm honestly so excited. It's just so unreal to be a part of something so amazing. The cast and the team on [the project] are just incredible, and I'm just so grateful to be a part of this," the young teenager told us.

When asked if she remembers where she was when she took that uber-exciting phone call, Molly recalled: "Yeah, actually it's really funny because my mum runs a stage school and she called me down quite early to help out the little kids and everything.

 "So I went down and then she was like 'your agents are calling'. And I was like, 'oh, let's go into your room really quickly'. And then, you know, they told me and I was just, I was so in shock.

"I just, I didn't even process [the news] properly. For a few days, it just didn't even feel real. Honestly, I was so excited."

The budding young actress is going to be rubbing shoulders with some very famous faces on the set of "The Hunger Games", but in particular, she's thrilled to have the opportunity to star alongside one of her favourite actresses, McKenna Grace.

"Well, I mean, the whole cast. It's gonna be so exciting to hopefully, you know, meet everyone. But I'd say definitely one of my biggest people who I was so excited to meet would definitely be McKenna Grace," Molly, who previously starred in "Bad Sisters", told EVOKE.

"She just, I've loved all of her work. I've watched 'Young Sheldon' and the new 'Ghostbusters' movie, and she's just such an incredible actress for her age as well. So I just, I honestly cannot wait to meet her."

Elle Fanning is set to play the younger version of Effie, who was played by Elizabeth Banks, in "Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," and Ralph Fiennes will play everyone's favourite villain, President Coriolanus Snow, who was previously portrayed by, the late, Donald Sutherland.

According to the official book synopsis by Scholastic, "Sunrise on the Reaping" is another prequel series that "revisits the world of Panem twenty-four years before the events of 'The Hunger Games', starting on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell."

The fifth instalment in "The Hunger Games" saga landed on shelves in March 2025, and fans cannot wait to hear more about the upcoming film. So, without further ado, here's how the rest of the cast is shaping up so far...

"Gossip Girl" alum Whitney Peak will portray Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch's childhood love and girlfriend during the 50th Hunger Games. If her character's surname rings a bell, it's because Lenore Dove was also part of the Covey and was raised by two of Lucy Gray’s cousins.

Maya Hawke, daughter of famous actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, will be portraying Wiress in "Sunrise on the Reaping". Also hailing from District 3, Wiress was the victor of the 49th Hunger Games and participated alongside Beetee in the Second Quarter Quell. Opposite Molly, Iona Bell will portray Lou Lou.

The movie to set to be released in theaters in the UK and Ireland in November 2026.

* This article was originally published on Evoke.ie.