Of all the aspects about acting that sound cool, one thing that would likely turn most people off is the idea of having to do sex scenes or even just appear on camera partially clothed. We’ve heard a lot about how women in the profession have dealt with the pressures of looking “perfect,” whether it’s on screen or not, but now 2026 TV schedule star Sam Claflin has opened up about a last-minute topless scene that really impacted him.

What Sam Claflin Said About How His Last-Minute Topless Scene Impacted Him

Sam Claflin has starred in a number of hit films and TV shows over the years, with beloved movies like The Hunger Games franchise, Enola Holmes, Me Before You, and Love, Rosie to his name on the big screen and Peaky Blinders, Daisy Jones & the Six, and his new series, Vanished (with Kaley Cuoco) counted among his television credits. Most would probably agree that he looks like a leading man, but that doesn’t mean that being surprised by a shirtless scene is his cup of tea.

When speaking on the Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast recently, the actor admitted that he’s “incredibly insecure,” especially about his looks, to the point where he believes it’s “a form of body dysmorphia.” He then revealed the surprise shirtless scene that really brought up his insecurities, and said:

We’ve heard more and more male stars speak about living with anxiety in a more general sense, and those who’ve revealed that they live with depression, but it appears to be quite a bit more rare for them to talk about how baring their bodies on screen has negatively impacted them. He continued:

Claflin went on to explain that his answer has been to do things like skipping meals, working out “doubly hard” and doing other things because he spends his time “overthinking” how he appears to others. I can only guess that this pressure is even worse when you’re cast as “the good-looking guy,” which has certainly been part of his career trajectory.

The star previously admitted that he “regrets” some of his time in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, because he spent the production “people pleasing to the nth degree” due to “imposter syndrome.” Apparently, his tendency to people-please also affects his view of himself, because he did note that he wants people to like him and think he’s attractive (despite his own feelings about his looks), so he has a natural desire to do anything to give people what they want from him. He added:

This is just another example of how you really can’t judge a book by its cover, and can never really know what someone is going through unless you ask them. Here’s hoping that he can at least mostly conquer this particular demon, and give himself a break more often than not.

Sam Claflin has had a pretty amazing career in Hollywood across the past 15 years, including his role in the Hunger Games movies as fan-favorite Finnick Odair, Peaky Blinders and Daisy Jones & The Six, but perhaps the way it all started is the wildest thing. The actor’s first ever movie was in 2011’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides with Johnny Depp. While it was obviously the experience of a lifetime, Claflin does have regrets about it.

In a new interview on Radio Andy, Claflin got honest about what it was like to star in a Pirates of the Caribbean movie at the age of 25. In his words:

Can you imagine going straight from studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts to being cast in a movie with one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars and Disney’s most massive franchise like he was? We wouldn’t know it while we’re immersed in the adventure of the Pirates of the Caribbean sequel, but Claflin was dealing with some personal struggles in the movie. As he added:

It’s actually pretty cool that the filmmakers of On Stranger Tides actually asked the young actor if he had some ideas about what to bring to his role. However, at the time, Claflin wasn’t confident enough to stick his neck out and really dive into the process.

Can one blame him? Most of us would be the same way if we were offered the biggest opportunity one could ask for at the start of their career. Interestingly enough, Sam Claflin is expected to reteam Johnny Depp soon for Ti West’s take on A Christmas Carol coming out later this year. Claflin explained his Pirates experience further with these words:

Claflin called working on On Stranger Tides as “one of the most dreamlike experiences” of his film career to this far, but he remains regretful about putting “so much pressure” on himself. Hey, it’s all part of growing up, isn’t it? In Claflin’s case, he was learning while being on a massive movie set with Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane and Geoffrey Rush.

On Stranger Tides was the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and the first time Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley were not part of the franchise as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, respectively. The Disney movie opted to bring in new talent, including Claflin’s casting as a captured missionary who serves as part of Blackbeard’s crew alongside a bunch of zombies.

After On Stranger Tides, one more Pirates movie came out six years later before the franchise was abandoned by Walt Disney Studios. There’s been a lot of talk over the years about producer Jerry Bruckheimer reportedly working on reviving the franchise (though one movie starring Margot Robbie has since died). Claflin has previously said he’s interested in returning to Pirates, but we’ll have to see what happens next for the Disneyland ride-inspired movie series.

It’s hard to believe for those who grew up with them, but the original Hunger Games movies with Jennifer Lawrence were filmed over a decade ago. Now, as we get ready for the new prequel to premiere on the 2026 movie schedule, her co-star Sam Claflin shared a funny “bum cheek” snafu that happened on the set of Catching Fire.

Of course, Claflin played Finnick Odair in the second Hunger Games movie from 2013, who was back in the arena for the 75th Hunger Games when past winners were chosen to compete again. Here’s what the British actor recently recalled from the shoot:

Most sets don’t have to deal with a trident, but since that’s something Finnick carries around, it ended up being a bit of a hazard, especially for Jennifer Lawrence. Claflin told the story to People as he promoted his latest role in the new series, Lazarus. He added that J-Law had someone take a photo of the “welt” that the trident injury caused, which was the “same shape as the circular end” of his trident right on her “bum cheek.”

The story is one of “many fond memories” Sam Claflin has from the set of The Hunger Games movies. Finnick Odair was introduced in Catching Fire, but the character ends up playing a big role in the two Mockingjay movies that came after that. The Daisy Jones and the Six actor also talked about recently reuniting with the director of those movies, Francis Lawrence, to watch his recent film, The Long Walk, which is an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name.

Claflin said he was “reminiscing” with the director about filming Hunger Games, and he was “trying” to get a cameo role in his next one, Sunrise on the Reaping, which is the latest book-to-screen adaptation from Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games universe. Sadly, Claflin’s character wouldn’t make sense in the 2026 release because his character isn’t alive yet. However, there’s been a lot of desire for the character to get his own prequel, and even Francis Lawrence has shared an interest in a Finnick movie should Collins write a story for him.

Claflin isn’t the only actor who’s recently talked about wanting to come back since Josh Hutcherson said just last week that it wouldn’t take “any convincing at all” for him to play Peeta again. Anyway, we can’t wait to hear from the new cast about what happened on the set of Sunrise on the Reaping soon (but hopefully it doesn't include Trident-related injuries). The movie comes out on November 20, 2026.

The future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is in a very weird place right now. We know that Disney is actively working on a new movie, but what that movie is, is anybody’s guess. It might see the return of Johnny Depp, but it might not. It apparently includes the involvement of Margot Robbie, despite previously being told it would not. At this point, we don’t know who might appear in the new film, though one former, and largely forgotten, cast member is ready for his own return.

Following the success of the initial Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, we saw Captain Jack Sparrow throw in with some new characters for the film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The film introduced several new characters, like Ian McShane as Blackbeard and a young Sam Claflin as Philip, a missionary captured by Blackbeard who falls in love with a mermaid. Speaking with comicbook.com, Claflin says he’s willing to grovel to rejoin the franchise. He said…

If Sam Claflin wants to go beg Jerry Bruckheimer to become part of the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie, I might be willing to join him. I would love to see the franchise return to characters of Philip and the mermaid Syrena, if for no other reason than to put some sort of an end to that story.

On Stranger Tides is something of a strange movie in the Pirates franchise now because it stands so alone. It sent Captain Jack Sparrow on a new adventure for the Fountain of Youth, and ended with Philip swimming off to seemingly become a merman, and female lead Penelope Cruz marooned on an island with a Jack Sparrow voodoo doll.

These story elements were then dropped for the next film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, so they’ve never been followed up on. If the next film in the franchise isn’t a complete reboot, then it would be great if it found a way to connect back to this orphaned movie.

While I would love to see Sam Claflin return primarily for story reasons, his own reasons for being interested in rejoining the franchise are more personal. He indicates he didn’t have nearly as much fun making the movie as he now feels he should have, largely because On Stranger Tides was his first movie, and he found the experience somewhat overwhelming. He explained…

The current understanding is that there are multiple versions of the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie, with one including the return of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, something Jerry Bruckheimer wants to see, and the other not. It's highly unlikely either version would see the return of Sam Claflin's Philip, but I, for one, wouldn't be against it.

It's hard to believe, it but The Hunger Games franchise has been with us since the first book arrived back in 2008. Author Suzanne Collins has continued to expand the franchise with prequel stories, making way for more book to screen adaptations in the process. Actor Sam Claflin famously played Finnick Odair in the Hunger Games movies, and recently said what most fans are thinking when comparing The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes with the new release Sunrise on the Reaping.

The history of Panem has been explored throughout these two novels, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' ending continues to inspire a debate between both moviegoers and avid readers. But fans have been especially enthusiastic about Sunrise on the Reaping, and during a conversation with Variety Claflin summed up how most of the fandom ranks the prequel books. In his words:

I mean, he's not wrong. While it was fun returning to Panem for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the emotional story at the heart of Sunrise on the Reaping is especially compelling. As are the inclusion of a number of franchise favorites like Effie Trinket, Plutarch Heavensbee, Beetee, and Mags. And many fans, including myself, find it to be the superior of Collins' two prequel novels.

Getting to see past Hunger Games has fans wondering what other prequels might be in store for the franchise's future. That includes a possible Finnick-centered story, and fans hopes of this increased when Sam Claflin confirmed he recently met with director Francis Lawrence. Of course, there's no prequel book about the District 4 victor just yet, so we might have to be patient before seeing this idea come to fruition.

Generations of Hunger Games fans read the Sunrise on the Reaping novel, and are already ready to see the emotional story play out on the big screen. Haymitch's tale is filled with tragedy, and since he's already a character we know and love, the stakes feel high. And like I said, including younger version of all those characters is thrilling, and will likely make its film adaptation even more buzz worthy.

What we know about the Sunrise on the Reaping movie is limited, but casting for the highly anticipated project is already underway. Jesse Plemons was recently announced as a young Plutarch, taking on the role from the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. That's pretty brilliant casting in my opinion, and I can't wait to see what other actors join the cast to bring the legacy characters back to life.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is currently expected to arrive in theaters on November 20, 2026. Since its not part of the 2025 movie release list, fans are left to re-read the book while we wait.

There are a lot of upcoming book adaptations on the way, but the one I’m most hyped about lately is the movie version of the latest Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping. Not only does the book itself have fans thinking about seeing specific moments on the big screen, but the casting updates so far have been absolutely on point. (Did you see who they picked to play a younger version of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character?) But apparently Sam Claflin, who memorably played Finnick Odair in the original movies, is just as excited as we are about the prequel.

Sam Claflin’s Finnick Odair won’t be in Sunrise on the Reaping on account of the character not being born yet during Haymitch’s games. However, the actor recently shared that he just met with the movie’s director Francis Lawrence, and Hunger Games of course came up. In his words:

While speaking to Variety, Claflin revealed that it wasn’t long ago when he had lunch with Lawrence as the filmmaker prepares to make his fifth Hunger Games movie in Germany. The pair first met over a decade ago when Lawrence cast Claflin as Finnick Odair, and apparently they are still very much connected.

Look, I know that a Finnick Odair Hunger Games prequel hasn’t been announced, but these comments are a solid reminder that there’s been a huge call for it over the years. When Haymitch’s story was announced, fans were quick to advocate for it, and in the past, Francis Lawrence has even name-dropped Finnick before when discussing which other character origins he'd like to explore. Here’s what else Clafin had to say as the new Hunger Games gets ready to start filming:

Sam Claflin also said he’s a “huge lover and a fan of the world” author Suzanne Collins created with The Hunger Games, and “can’t help but feel attached to it.” Catching Fire was one of the British actor’s first after starting on other big-budget films in his 20s, like Snow White and the Huntsman and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Of course, before Claflin was even cast, the character of Finnick Odair was a hugely beloved fan-favorite character from The Hunger Games books, but the actor’s casting has only added to that. After Claflin’s words about his love of the films, and his contribution to them, I only want to see a Finnick prequel more.

Sure, Claflin wouldn’t necessarily be the lead of it considering it would probably be about the character’s games when he was 14, but the actor has spoken about how “Finnick deserved better” in the past. The character getting his own movie feels like the best way to remedy this.

The Hunger Games franchise made an honorable return late last year when The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes hit theaters and won back over audiences on the dystopian science fiction concept. Despite its success, there are no future plans for the world of Panem to return to the big screen for the moment, but recent comments from an OG Hunger Games star brings up a solid idea for how the series could continue. 

Sam Claflin memorably portrayed Finnick Odair in 2013’s The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire. The character has long been a fan-favorite for those who follow both the books and movies, and in the spirit of this, the actor recently shared his thoughts on returning to the franchise for his own prequel at some point. In Claflin’s words: 

While speaking to Variety at the Emmys this week, Claflin said he’s “100 percent” open to being part of The Hunger Games again, but he feels like at this point he might be “too old” to encompass Finnick Odair these days. He’s happy to take on another role in the franchise, but he thinks he may no longer be the right fit for the character. Finnick’s dad on the other hand – sign him up! 

When Sam Claflin first starred in Catching Fire, the actor was in his late twenties playing a 24-year-old character. Nowadays, he’s 37 years old and the father to his two kids, who are aged around six and four. With that in mind, it’s kind of a stretch for Claflin to not only come back to the franchise, but do so as an even younger version of his character. That being said, the idea of having a Finnick movie is a great choice! This is a character with a rather rich backstory that would offer audiences a new perspective on Suzanne Collins’ dystopian world. 

The main reason why there’s not another Hunger Games movie in the works because thus far they’ve all been based on novels by Suzanne Collins, and no others have been written, including one on Finnick Odair. That being said, there are definitely a lot of possibilities for more Hunger Games characters to get prequels if Collins and the filmmaking team at Lionsgate decided they wanted to pursue additional movies from the world. 

Recently, Josh Hutcherson has also spoken about his thoughts about getting back to The Hunger Games as he recently went bleach blonde again for The Beekeeper. If you’ve yet to see the latest installment from the franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is now available to rent and buy on digital. 

It’s no secret that Daisy Jones and The Six is loosely inspired by Fleetwood Mac, Rumors, the story of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham and the band’s infamous breakup. The book’s author, Taylor Jenkins Reid has always been open about this fact. Now, months after the Prime Video adaptation of the bestselling novel made its debut, Stevie Nicks has finally shared her thoughts on the show. And her reaction led to many heartfelt and sweet comments from those involved with the series, including Reese Witherspoon, Riley Keough, Jenkins Reid and more.  

Months after the series premiered on the 2023 TV schedule, Stevie Nicks posted a sweet photo from the show along with a heartfelt and candid caption about what Daisy Jones and The Six meant to her on Instagram. The rock star wrote:

After she posted many of the actors from the Daisy Jones and The Six cast commented on her post, including Daisy Jones herself, Riley Keough, who wrote:

Reese Witherspoon also chimed in. Her company Hello, Sunshine helmed the adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s book, and she served as an executive producer. She was elated to see the Fleetwood Mac member’s enthusiasm for the series, as she commented:

The author of Daisy Jones and The Six also reposted Nicks' post on her Instagram stories, highlighting Keough specifically: 

Others from the cast of the Prime Video show also commented to show their love for Stevie Nicks and her post. Check them out:

• Sam Claflin: blessings [heart hands emoji] 
• Camila Morrone: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
• Suki Waterhouse: ❤️[tears welling happy emoji]
• Nabiyah Be: ❤️❤️❤️

Seeing the actors behind Billy Dunne, Camila Dunne, Karen Sirko and Simone Jackson, respectively, comment on Nicks’ post goes to show how much this cast cares about this rock ‘n roll story, and the band who partially inspired it. I’d guess that having the stamp of approval from the Fleetwood Mac member is a compliment that lives on the level of getting nominated for an Emmy and being dubbed as one of the best shows on Amazon Prime.

You can feel the Fleetwood Mac influence in Daisy Jones and The Six, it’s palpable. From the best original songs in the Prime series sounding like songs they could have been on Rumours, to the turbulent yet magnetic relationship between Billy and Daisy, to Daisy’s sense of fashion, it’s like the band’s story and vibe is oozing from the show. Nicks’ comments confirm this theory too, as she wrote that she “felt like a ghost watching [her] own story.” 

To see how Fleetwood Mac’s story manifests itself in Daisy Jones and The Six, you can stream the entire series with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

Readers of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel Daisy Jones & The Six were excited to watch the fictional ‘70s rock band come to life on the Amazon Prime Video series, and Riley Keough and Sam Claflin helped to usher in even more fans, thanks to their chemistry on the small screen. The series differed from the book in a few ways, but basically remained loyal to the source material, providing viewers with a satisfying ending. So with the show wrapped up with a little nice bow and the source material exhausted, we probably shouldn’t expect a Season 2, right? Not so fast, according to the showrunner.

Daisy Jones & The Six showrunner Scott Neustadter spoke at Deadline’s Contenders Television panel, where he said the series (available with an Amazon Prime Video subscription) delivered the perfect ending by tying up all of the storylines while still inspiring new questions. In fact, Neustadter said he’s made a whole pitch of ideas for a second season. He said: 

The showrunner apparently hasn’t run out of ideas when it comes to Riley Keough’s character and the five members of The Six, but Scott Neustadter conceded that Taylor Jenkins Reid would still have a say in the matter, if they were going to flesh out the band’s story even more.

The series’ story spans decades, with the band members doing present-day interviews about the rise and fall of their band in the 1970s. Much of the story revolves around Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne, who seem to be two halves of the same person, and their music is full of angst between the musicians, who are in love but can’t be together because Billy is committed to his wife Camila. In the finale we learn that Camila has since died, and in her daughter Julia’s interviews prior to her passing, she gave Billy and Daisy her blessing, telling them they owe her a song. 

This is the perfect ending that the showrunner was talking about, with viewers getting to see that the timing might finally be right for the singers to be together — or at least create more music — but what happened next?? In addition to everything post-Julia’s documentary, we only know broad strokes about what happened to the band members in the time between Daisy Jones & The Six’s last concert in Chicago and their current-day conversations with Billy and Camila’s daughter. Perhaps a Daisy Jones & The Six Season 2 would dive deeper into the decades in between? 

Another aspect to consider about continuing the story of The Six would be the music. Over two dozen original songs were created for Daisy Jones & The Six, with Riley Keough and the rest of the Daisy Jones & The Six cast actually performing the band’s songs. Since we know the band broke up after releasing Aurora, we’ve theoretically heard all of their music. Would Season 2 do away with that aspect of it? Would we hear the music that the band members created with other groups after their split? 

Fans likely weren’t expecting a second season of the book-to-screen adaptation, but that doesn’t mean we’re not hopeful. For now you can relive Daisy Jones & The Six’s rise and fall on Amazon’s Prime Video, and be sure to see what other premieres are coming soon with our 2023 TV schedule. 

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s 2019 novel, Daisy Jones & The Six, became a hit with readers, in part because it’s everything you’d want in a behind-the-scenes look at the rise and fall of an iconic rock band — even a fictional one. In book form, however, we didn’t get to hear the magic that was created when Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne came together, baring their souls to write music, while fighting their undeniable attraction. Amazon Prime’s series remedied that problem, with two dozen original songs being created to flesh out the band’s story for its screen adaptation. Below are my rankings of the best of those tunes.

An established list of songwriters — including Blake Mills, Jackson Browne, Phoebe Bridgers, and Marcus Mumford — produced original music for the series, compiling 11 tracks for the Daisy Jones & The Six album, Aurora, on which Riley Keough, Sam Claflin and the rest of the cast members actually sang and performed. The other songs included music said to be written by the band members earlier in their career — like The Dunne Brothers’ “Flip the Switch” — and by other characters in the series — like Wyatt Stone’s “Stumbled on Sublime.” Some ditties were featured more prominently than others, and these, to me, made the biggest impact: 

7. Aurora 

When it was announced that the bestselling novel was being adapted for a series (which is available to stream with an Amazon Prime Video subscription), fans of the book were excited to see the sparks fly between the band members, but we also NEEDED to hear their music. 

“Aurora” is the opening track on Daisy Jones & The Six’s soundtrack album, and it’s a solid introduction to Riley Keough and Sam Claflin’s chemistry as vocalists. The song was featured in the book, and it really establishes what vibe the band is trying to achieve with its nod to Fleetwood Mac, which the fictional group was loosely inspired by. 

6. More Fun To Miss  

This song feels different than the others on Aurora, and maybe because narratively, Billy wrote this one for Daisy, rather than the two collaborating. It’s introduced at a pivotal moment in the series for the two singers, when you can’t tell if they’re going to kill each other or jump each other’s bones. The bluesy grit of this one, coupled with the angst that surrounds Daisy trying to perform it to Billy’s liking in the studio, makes it easily one of the highlights of the album and the show. 

5. Ya Love Ain’t Enough

This is such a fun song, and a sentimental pick to be sure, because I loved what Simone Jackson (Nabiyah Be) added to Daisy Jones & The Six. She was doing her own thing in the series, and although they gave her most of the focus in Episode 7, I wish there had been a way to incorporate her and Bernie’s (Ayesha Harris) story more throughout. “Ya Love Ain’t Enough” is a nod to the disco era, as Bernie took one of Simone’s vocal tracks, added a disco backing and made it a hit on the club scene. Simone became a star in her own right when she started doing multiple live performances of her single each night. 

4. Regret Me 

Even the title of this song oozes passion, and it was definitely one that readers were most excited to see come to life. The series didn’t disappoint. Like “More Fun to Miss,” this tune caused turmoil between Daisy and Billy, because it was not a collaboration. Daisy was inspired to write it in the aftermath of the “More Fun to Miss” debacle, and Billy didn’t want it on the album (Fleetwood Mac fans will get the “Silver Springs” parallels here). 

One big missed opportunity was not including the line, “And, baby, when you think of me, I hope it ruins rock ’n’ roll,” from the book and giving us instead the awkward, “Go ahead and regret me, but I always will too regret you.” But the cool way Daisy sings, “But I’m beatin’ you to it, dude,” lives rent-free in my brain, so all is forgiven.

3. Let Me Down Easy 

To me, “Let Me Down Easy” is the biggest earworm on Aurora, and with it being the first song Daisy and Billy wrote together, it was a treat to see it come together on screen. The opening guitar is very “Rhiannon”-esque, and it just so happens to be a favorite of Daisy Jones & The Six author, Taylor Jenkins Reid, who told TV Line:  

“Let Me Down Easy” was such a turning point for the band in the series, because Daisy was finally part of The Six, and the writing of that song really highlighted her and Billy's magnetism. 

2. The River 

If we’re talking about favorite songs, though, “The River” wins in quantity at least, as Camila Morrone (who played Camila Dunne) and Suki Waterhouse (keyboard player Karen Sirko) were among those who told Decider it was the one they liked best. Co-showrunner Will Graham told TV Line why it stuck with him: 

“The River” was featured a number of times in the series, particularly Episode 8, as we saw how Daisy was spiraling out of control a little more each time they performed it live. In Episode 10 — for the band’s final performance in Chicago — Simone Jackson even joined Daisy Jones & The Six on stage for this one. 

1. Look At Us Now (Honeycomb) 

This was the song that started it all for Daisy Jones & The Six, as well as the final song they ever sang. Billy wrote it as a love song for Camila, but it was rejected by the label. Teddy Price (Tom Wright) gave it to Daisy to get her take, and she turned it into something more complicated — much to Billy’s displeasure. With Daisy accompanying a perpetually sour Billy, the chemistry was undeniable, and Daisy’s guest appearance became a permanent gig. 

Everything came crashing down ahead of their Chicago concert, when Camila witnessed a tender moment between her husband and Daisy. When introducing “Look at Us Now (Honeycomb)” that night, Daisy finally acknowledged it as a love song and told Billy to go after Camila. Keough told TV Line this was probably her favorite song, and Claflin added what he liked about it: 

A fictional band trying to live up to the magic of Fleetwood Mac is a pretty tall order, but there’s no denying the achievement of Daisy Jones & The Six, the songwriters and musicians. The group actually became the first fictional band to hit No. 1 on iTunes with Aurora, and it’s pretty easy to see why, with the songs listed above and more continuing to live on in our heads long after finishing the Amazon Prime Video series. 

Spoilers for the first three episodes of Daisy Jones and The Six ahead. 

In the book Daisy Jones and The Six Eddie is always at odds with Billy, annoyed that his ideas aren’t heard, and wishing he was in the spotlight. The first big breaking point for the guitarist in the book comes when Billy takes his guitar on stage, stealing his moment. However, in the show, that doesn’t happen early on, and instead, we find out Eddie’s anger toward The Six’s frontman stems not just from his need to be heard, but also from his love for Camila. That’s a major, major change in this book-to-screen adaptation, and Josh Whitehouse, who plays Eddie opened up about this big change, and the moments that lead to his character wanting to leave the band. 

While chatting with Josh Whitehouse and the cast of Diasy Jones and The Six, I asked the Eddie actor about his character’s motivations, and why he hates Billy so much. He opened up about the evolution of his relationship with Sam Claflin’s character, noting the major change that Eddie is in love with Billy’s wife Camila.

As someone who has read the book a couple of times, I quickly noticed the difference in Eddie’s motivations, and I clocked the addition of his love for Camila instantly. This adds an extra dimension to this one-sided feud, and it infuses Eddie’s anger with more meaning. You see him talk about being in love with Billy’s wife since they were kids, and how angry he gets when Billy cheats on Camila during The Six’s first tour. While chatting with W Magazine, Whitehouse spoke about the character’s relationship in the show, saying he liked to “play with interesting themes” and try to find “a good reason somewhere, deep down,” for Eddie’s resentment in the positively reviewed series. And I think between his performance, and the writing of the show, they pulled that off very well.

Personally, I loved this change in the show, and hearing Whitehouse explain his character’s reasoning helped me better understand where Eddie was coming from. In the book, Eddie is kind of a jerk, because all he wants is to lead the band. Knowing in the show that he also loves Camila, and really doesn’t like how Billy treated her, in the beginning, adds an extra level of complexity to the bandmates' relationship and makes it more interesting and meaningful. 

To see how Eddie and Billy’s relationship festers throughout the season of Daisy Jones and The Six, you can stream new episodes of the 2023 TV schedule hit every Friday with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

When it comes to some of the most recent book-to-screen adaptations, I can name a fair few that have become my favorite. From the Netflix hit, Shadow and Bone, to the Enola Holmes novels that became movies, but today, we’re going to talk about Daisy Jones and the Six. The book, based on the novel of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid, has been adapted into a miniseries – and hopefully, is going to end up becoming one of the best shows on Amazon Prime. 

The story follows a fictional band in the crazy time that was the 1970s music scene, presented in almost a documentary style where it shows background information, behind the scenes shots and interviews with “band members.” The book was quite popular and now, everyone is eager to see the show. But, who is whom in the Daisy Jones and the Six cast? Here is where you might have seen everyone before. 

Riley Keough (Daisy Jones)

First up on the list we have Riley Keough, who plays the titular character, Daisy Jones, in Daisy Jones and the Six. Keough has been in a variety of movies that you might have recognized her from, ones that have been around for years. Some of her most prominent parts were in films such as The Runaways, The Good Doctor, Magic Mike, American Honey, It Comes at Night, Logan Lucky (alongside Sebastian Stan), The House That Jack Built, The Lodge, The Devil All The Time, and more. She was also a part of the Mad Max: Fury Road cast.

In terms of television, Keough had a major role in the show, The Girlfriend Experience, but most recently, she was a part of the cast of The Terminal List, which was recently renewed. This will be her latest television work and I can’t wait to see what she does next. 

Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne)

When I think of a book-to-screen adaptation, I always think of Sam Claflin, and here he is playing Billy Dunne in Daisy Jones and the Six. To me, I’ve always thought of Finnick Odair from The Hunger Games franchise when I hear Sam Claflin’s name, but he’s been in plenty of other awesome movies that you might recognize him from. 

He’s starred in films such as Me Before You (alongside Secret Invasion cast member Emilia Clarke), Love, Rosie, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Adrift, The Nightingale, Enola Holmes, Every Breath You Take, and more. On television, Claflin had a main role in the later seasons of the popular show, Peaky Blinders, and was also in shows such as White Heat, Any Human Heart, and The Pillars of the Earth . 

Camila Morrone (Camila Dunne)

Next up on the list is Camila Morrone, who plays Camila Dunne in the new series. Compared to some of her castmates, Morrone is pretty new to the world of television, with her only role so far being a guest role on the show, Love Advent. However, she’s been in a few films before her part in the Amazon miniseries. 

These include Never Goin’ Back, Death Wish, Valley Girl, Gonzo Girl, and Mickey and the Bear. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing a whole lot more of her on television after her part in Daisy Jones and the Six. 

Will Harrison (Graham Dunne)

Moving on, we take a look at Will Harrison, who portrays Graham Dunne in Daisy Jones and the Six. Like Morrone, Harrison is decently new to the world of Hollywood. He had a guest role on the show, Madam Secretary, and also had a role in the film This Is A Film About My Mother, but other than that, this is his first major role in a miniseries. It’ll be exciting to see where he goes from here. 

Suki Waterhouse (Karen Sirko)

Suki Waterhouse portrays Karen Sirko in Daisy Jones and the Six, and has appeared in a variety of movies and television series prior to her role. With films, she appeared in the Divergent franchise, specifically Insurgent, as well as The Bad Batch, Love, Rosie, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, The Girl Who Invented Kissing, Assassination Nation, the video game adaptation Detective Pikachu, Billionaire Boys Club, and more. 

She also had guest roles on television shows such as Material Girl and Into the Dark, as well as a part on The White Princess miniseries. 

Josh Whitehouse (Eddie Roundtree)

Next up is Josh Whitehouse, who portrays Eddie Roundtree. Whitehouse has appeared in a few movies before that you might recognize him from. He was in The Knight Before Christmas, a fun little Netflix Christmas romantic comedy with Vanessa Hudgens, but he was also in the movies Northern Soul, Valley Girl, Modern Life is Rubbish, and The Receptionist. 

Whitehouse also had a main role on the television series, Poldark, and a guest role on the series, Rhyme Time Town. 

Sebastian Chacon (Warren Rhodes)

Sebastian Chacon portrays Warren Rhodes, and he’s been in plenty of television shows that you might recognize him from. He has had guest roles in several series including Mr. Robot, the underrated series The Get Down, Madam Secretary, Deception, the Ryan Murphy-created show, Pose, Narcos, Elementary, The Code, and others. He also had a role in the spinoff series, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.

Chacon also appeared in the films Under Pressure, Puzzle, Angelfish, and Emergency.  

Nabiyah Be (Simone)

Nabiyah Be portrays Simone in the new show, and this is actually her first major television role. Her only credit thus far was a small part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Black Panther, but other than that, this will be her big-break in television and film. 

Tom Wright (Teddy Price)

Last but not least is Tom Wright, who portrays Teddy Price. Wright is an actor who has been around for a long time, so he’s had roles in plenty of movies and television shows – almost too many to count in one article. His highlights for movies include Underground USA, Reversal of Fortune, Palmetto, Handyman’s Curse, Runaway Island, Honeydripper, The Imposter, Chasing Ghosts, Troop Beverly Hills, and so many more. 

Wright also had roles in shows such as Martial Law, Extreme, Granite Flats, and had a recurring role on Station 19. 

Someone else that you'll see in Daisy Jones and the Six is Timothy Olyphant, who's returning to TV as Raylan Givens in the upcoming Justified: City Primeval, but because he only has a guest appearance, I’ll just say to keep an eye out for him alongside all these other great stars. It’s surely a great time to be a book lover with so many adaptations coming out this year and in the near future.  

By the time Taylor Jenkins Reid’s book Daisy Jones & The Six was released in 2019, a streaming series adaptation was already in the works. That means that fans who read (and loved) this documentary-style tale of the rise and fall of a 1970s rock band have been waiting years to see and hear this story come to life. That time has finally come, as the first three episodes of Daisy Jones & The Six will be available for streaming on March 3 with an Amazon Prime Video subscription, and the reviews are in to help us decide if it was worth the wait.

Riley Keough says she feels she was put on this earth to play the titular character — not because music runs in her blood, as the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, but because she connected with Daisy’s artistry and her fight to be taken seriously as a young woman. She’s joined in the series by Sam Claflin as Billy Dunne, as well as Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Timothy Olyphant and more. Let’s see what the critics are saying about the long-awaited series.

Angie Han of THR says the series preserves much of what fans love about the bestselling novel, possibly to a fault, as it lacks a little edge. However, Riley Keough fully captures Daisy Jones’ electric energy with her rock-star swagger. The critic concludes:  

Darren Franich of EW grades it a B+ saying Daisy Jones & The Six is absurd and schmaltzy but sneakily profound. The reviewer doesn’t connect with the documentary style but admits to liking the “ridiculous” series anyway, saying: 

Mary Kate Carr of AV Club also gave it a B+, noting how much fun the cast seems to have together. The set design and ‘70s-era costumes draw audiences in to the compelling love story at the center of it all, and the critic says the series is destined to be a crowd-pleaser: 

The critics seem to agree that fans of the book will likely be satisfied with the adaptation. Kate Collins of CNET says that while the overall story stays loyal to the source material, there are enough differences that the hard-core book lovers should be ready to keep an open mind. The review continues: 

Roxana Hadadi of Vulture, however, feels there’s a smallness to the Prime Video series, despite the great performances and original music, that makes the critic feel we’re “settling for a copy of a copy,” saying: 

The series has garnered generally positive marks, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 76% Fresh from 45 critics’ reviews. If you want to check out this book-to-screen adaptation, the first three episodes of Daisy Jones & The Six will be available to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video on Friday, March 3, with new episodes each Friday through March 24. Be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming soon. 

Since it has been over a decade since The Hunger Games movies began and the franchise is set to continue this fall with the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, one of the franchise's stars/fan-favorite Sam Claflin recently reflected on his time as Finnick Odair. The actor shared it feels like it just happened “yesterday,” but there is a thing or two he’d change about his iconic role if he could. 

Claflin regarded his Hunger Games experience as an “absolute dream” when recently speaking about his debut in the franchise in Catching Fire, which turns 10 later this year. The actor does recall receiving backlash from fans of the franchise when he was first cast, as they thought he was “so wrong” for the part, which led to him deiding he was going to “prove” them all wrong. When thinking back to the role, Claflin said this: 

In his interview with Variety, Sam Claflin shared that he counted himself lucky that he wasn’t playing a role as large as Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark or Liam Hemsworth’s Gale Hawthorne because there wasn’t “as much pressure” on him at the time. 

Still, The Hunger Games franchise seriously had numerous supporting actors who became crazy famous after their roles in the book adaptations. Lucky for Claflin, he’d been in major movies before this, like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Snow White and the Huntsman, but Finnick was the first high-profile character he played with an established fanbase. When it comes to thinking back to the character’s journey in the film, Claflin said this:  

During the ending of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, Finnick Odair is the first major casualty of the movie while Katniss and a crew of rebels were seeking to take down President Snow. It’s a sad moment in the film, especially because Finnick is such a likable and beloved character. It’s too bad he doesn’t get a happy ending, especially since his wife Annie Cresta remains alive and pregnant with their child. Yeah… those movies got pretty dark. 

While Claflin will not return this time around given it's a prequel, you can mark your calendars for the next Hunger Games movie hitting theaters on November 17, 2023. Rachel Zegler, Viola Davis and Peter Dinklage star among the stacked Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes cast.  

Sam Claflin is about to play another literary character for the Amazon Prime series Daisy Jones & the Six. The actor appears as a fictional rock star from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel of the same name. The upcoming book adaptation begins streaming on March 3. 

The new Netflix movie Enola Holmes brings together one of the most iconic names in literature, with a quite impressive cast. Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things plays the lead and Superman himself, Henry Cavill plays the World's Greatest Detective, Sherlock Holmes. With a duo like that, it's no wonder that Sam Claflin, who plays Sherlock's older brother Mycroft, felt slightly intimidated.

Sam Claflin apparently had to deal with a couple of different problems while working on the set of Enola Holmes. First, there was the problem of being cast as Sherlock Holmes' older brother, when Claflin is actually three years younger than Henry Cavill who plays Sherlock. As Claflin told Yahoo, he felt a little bad about that, apparently because somebody thought he looked like he was much older than Cavill. Then there was the fact that he had to share scenes with two actors who have achieved a pretty significant level of fame due to playing very popular characters. As Claflin explained...

Sam Claflin has certainly had his share of significant movie roles. He had a major role in a Pirates of the Caribbean film and he was part of the Hunger Games franchise, but it's certainly true that he hasn't done anything that's become quite the pop culture phenomenon as Henry Cavill's Superman or Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven. And honestly, is there any way you could not be intimidated by Henry Cavill's hair alone? It makes me feel inferior and I'm just watching the movie.

Although, in this case, since Mycroft Holmes is essentially playing third fiddle to Enola and Sherlock, Sam Claflin suggests that position actually worked out for the movie itself. Within traditional Holmes canon Mycroft Holmes is the smarter of the two Holmes brothers in the stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but he's generally lacking in Sherlock's energy and has little desire to do any of the actual work involved in Sherlock's line of work. Of course, Mycroft is generally described as being fairly soft and overweight from his lack of movement, so if nothing else Sam Claflin maybe the sexiest Mycroft ever put on screen.

While Sam Claflin may have felt slightly inferior, it appears from most reviews that the trio makes Enola Holmes work quite well. It may not be the smartest movie ever made with the Holmes name attached, the new Netflix production is generally being viewed as a lot of fun, and right now, is there really anything anybody needs more than a bit of fun?

*We’re about to get into spoilers for Netflix’s Love Wedding Repeat. So if you haven’t watched the new rom-com streaming yet, this article is probably not for you--at least, yet. *

Love Wedding Repeat basically sells itself as playing out similarly to Edge of Tomorrow’s “what if” possibilities, only in this rom-com starring Eleanor Tomlinson, Sam Claflin and Olivia Munn the multiple ways the story could happen are not relived by any one character. Instead, the movie seems to be an exercise in how the same story can be told many very different ways, with an “oracle” narrating the Netflix movie to separate each of the timelines. Which means its ending is a little bit confusing, as the movie plays out with more than one finale.

The basic premise of the movie is that eight people sit together at the “English” table during the wedding between English-born Hayley (Eleanor Tomlinson) and Italian-born Roberto (Tiziano Caputo). The eight people sitting together at the table have very different experiences depending on where their place cards are dropped by an adorable group of young kids during each timeline.

Every outcome is explored on screen, although the majority of the wedding experiences are relegated to a quick montage in the middle, leaving a movie that ultimately feels like it has two endings.

How Love Wedding Repeat Really Has Two Endings

While the Netflix rom-com movie has a lot of nods to Edge of Tomorrow’s “live. die. repeat” phrasing, the more apt comparison might be the movie Clue, which gives us a bunch of different possible ways the whodunnit may have played out. Similarly, Love Wedding Repeat focuses on two separate place card settings.

The Not-So-Satisfying Ending

In the not-so-satisfying ending, Hayley’s wedding is ruined when a former sexual partner Marc (Jack Farthing) shows up to stop the wedding. She and her brother Jack (Sam Claflin) plan to drug Marc with a sleeping pill, only the place settings get switched and their friend Bryan (Joel Fry) is drugged instead.

Due to a series of events, Jack continues to try and distract Marc instead of spending time with Dina (Olivia Munn), the woman he is interested in. Marc manages to ruin the wedding nonetheless and Robero calls the nuptials off after finding out Eleanor previously slept with Marc. Meanwhile, the drugged Bryan ruins the cake and even Jack gets headbutted in the face by his ex Amanda (Freida Pinto).

If only things had gone differently…

The Feel-Good Ending

In this version of events, Marc still shows up, but Jack accidentally drugs himself instead of Marc (or Bryan, as happened in the previous timeline). He falls asleep while conversing with Dina, but with the help of a lot of coffee, he is able to wake himself up enough to convince Marc not to ruin the wedding and convince Dina he’s a worthy guy.

Meanwhile, Bryan’s wedding speech goes off well and he lands a potential job opportunity, Marc realizes stopping the wedding won’t get him what he wants, Hayley and Roberto stick to completing their nuptials and other characters find happy endings.

In the most rom-com-oriented moment of them all, Jack finally gets a moment with Dina and while they are nearly interrupted, he tells the guy to sod off -- he actually drops an f-bomb -- and finally kisses Dina. It’s the moment the movie is waiting for, but as Sam Claflin and Olivia Munn told CinemaBlend, it wasn’t originally supposed to play out the way it does.

The Real Ending For Love Wedding Repeat Was Improv’d By Sam Claflin And Olivia Munn

CinemaBlend's own Sean O'Connell was lucky enough to interview some of Love Wedding Repeat’s leads before the new romantic comedy premiered on Netflix this weekend, and apparently that final payoff moment almost didn’t happen. According to Sam Claflin and his co-star Olivia Munn, the major kiss wasn’t originally in the script and was something that came up spur of the moment.

Jack spends the entire movie trying to have a moment with Dina, the woman he’s sure would be perfect for him, but previously their timing had always been off. Even in the last scene, he interrupts her during a phone call and originally it seems the movie wasn’t going to make it clear whether or not the happily-ever-after played out. According to both Claflin and Munn, the scene was one of the last things they shot and in a moment of inspiration it all came together.

To think, if the place settings had been just a wee bit different, who knows how Love Wedding Repeat would have played out?

It's always interesting to hear how movies came together, but ultimately the ending of this Netflix rom-com doesn't 100% hinge on the one improv'd moment. Still, I do think the happy ending is all the better thanks to that inspired acting moment. You can catch Love Wedding Repeat currently streaming on Netflix or see what else the subscription service has coming up with the full schedule. In the meantime, what did you think of the latest streaming rom-com?

This poll is no longer available.

Over the course of four years, The Hunger Games series went from another YA adaptation hoping to win over the masses to one of the biggest movie franchises of the past decade. Based on the dystopian novels by Suzanne Collins, the movies were led by Jennifer Lawrence, an actress who went from a rising young talent to one of the biggest stars in the world over the course of the popular series. Now that the blockbuster franchise has concluded, The Hunger Games cast has moved on to different projects. Some of these stars have gained incredible fame or continued their ascension, while a few others remain busy with other, smaller projects. Let's take a look at the The Hunger Games cast members and see what they're doing now.

Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen)

In the central role of Katniss Everdeen, Jennifer Lawrence served as the central protagonist of The Hunger Games franchise. From the time the series started until its final fourth film, Lawrence went from rising Oscar-nominated young actress to arguably one of the biggest movie stars of her time (and possibly even the biggest), particularly when she won an Oscar for Best Actress with Silver Linings Playbook. 

Since Mockingjay - Part 2, Lawrence has appeared in a few others movies, including Joy, mother!, Red Sparrow, Passengers, X-Men: Apocalypse and, most recently, X-Men: Dark Phoenix. She took a year off from acting to focus on other ambitions, though she has a few new projects in the works, including an untitled new drama from director Lila Neugebauer, Mob Girl, Don't Look Up from director Adam McKay, and the biopic Bad Blood, based on the controversial figure, Elizabeth Holmes.

Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark)

In the role of Peeta Mellark, Josh Hutcherson served as one of the central characters in The Hunger Games, particularly when he became a potential love interest for Katniss Everdeen. A former child actor who has been working on the screen for the majority of his life, Hutcherson has appeared in a few other projects since The Hunger Games concluded. Notably, Hutcherson has appeared in The Disaster Artist and Tragedy Girls, and he plays the lead role in the Hulu sci-fi comedy series, Future Man. Up next, Hutcherson will star in the new movie Rita.

Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthrone)

As Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' childhood best friend and one of her main love interests, Liam Hemsworth plays a key role in The Hunger Games series. Since the franchise concluded, Hemsworth has been seen in Independence Day: Resurgence, Isn't It Romantic, and, most recently, Killerman. Up next, Hemsworth stars in the indie dark comedy, Arkansas, and he'll play one of the lead roles in the forthcoming Quibi thriller series Most Dangerous Game.

Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy)

As Haymitch Abernathy, Woody Harrelson played a mentor figure throughout The Hunger Games saga. As a versatile actor with commendable range, Harrelson has appeared in many movies since The Hunger Games wrapped, including Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, War For the Planet of the Apes, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Zombieland: Double Tap. Additionally, Harrelson made his screenwriting and directorial debut in 2017's Lost in London, an autobiographical comedy that was shot live in real-time. His next role is playing Carnage in Venom 2. He is also soon set to be seen in Kate and Triangle of Sadness, and he was cast in the limited series The Most Wanted Man in America.

Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket)

In the role of Effie Trinket, Elizabeth Banks served as an advisory character throughout The Hunger Games saga. Since finishing her commitments to the franchise, Banks has appeared in film and television alike, and she has expanded herself into roles behind-the-camera as well. In 2015, she made her feature directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2. Last year, she wrote and directed the newest Charlie's Angels reboot. Up next, Banks appears in the new Hulu mini-series, Mrs. America. She's also attached to the drama Signal Hill, and has a few directorial projects in store, including Invisible Woman.

Donald Sutherland (President Coriolanus Snow)

As the menacing President Coriolanus Snow, Donald Sutherland played a menacing part in The Hunger Games series. Outside of this villainous role, he has worked consistently in film and on television. His most recent roles include Ad Astra and The Burnt Orange Heresy. He'll next be seen in the thriller Alone, and he's got two TV roles lined up with HBO's The Undoing and Swimming with Sharks, which is based on the 1994 movie of the same name.

Stanley Tucci (Caesar Flickerman)

As Ceaser Flickerman, Stanley Tucci served as a colorful supporting character throughout The Hunger Games saga. A refined, Oscar-nominated actor with years of experience on the stage and screen, Tucci is a dynamite actor, and he continues to excel. Most recently, he was seen in Limetown. He'll next be seen in Worth, opposite Michael Keaton, and he'll appear in The King's Man, The Witches, Jolt, Supernova, and a few more upcoming projects.

Willow Shields (Primose Everdeen)

As Primose Everdeen, the younger sister of Katniss, Willow Shields played a key role throughout The Hunger Games series. Making her feature debut in the original film, Shields continues to work primarily on the small screen, notably with roles in The Unsettling and Netflix's Spinning Out. She'll next be seen in two upcoming movies, When Time Got Louder and A Fall From Grace, both of which are expected to come out sometime within the next year.

Paula Malcomson (Mrs. Everdeen)

As the concerned mother of Katniss, Paula Malcomson played an emotional role in The Hunger Games franchise, particularly in the early installments. Also known as Paula Williams, the actress has bounced between film and television since The Hunger Games, though her television roles are notable, including Ray Donovan, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Krypton. She was last seen in Deadwood: The Movie and HBO's Watchmen last year.

Lenny Kravitz (Cinna)

As Cinna, Katniss' stylist, Lenny Kravitz's character played a major role in the rise to prominence seen by our central protagonist. Primarily a musician, Kravitz hasn't appeared in too many projects as an actor since The Hunger Games outside of brief appearances in FX's Better Things and Fox's Star. As a musician, Kravitz continues to perform, particularly when he appeared during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2015 alongside Katy Perry. More recently, Kravitz released his 11th studio album, Raise Vibrations, and toured the album in 2018. In an interview with Rolling Stone that year, Kravitz mentioned that he was already working on his follow-up to this studio album, and that it might serve as a companion piece to a future film project.

Sam Claflin (Finnick Odair)

As Finnick Odair, Sam Claflin was seen prominently throughout The Hunger Games sequels, notably Catching Fire. Since his time in the franchise, the young actor has split his time on the big and small screen, appearing The Huntsman: Winter's War, Me Before You, Adrift, Peaky Blinders, Charlie's Angels, and a particularly menacing role in The Nightingale, most recently. Up next is the comedy Love. Wedding, Repeat., the drama-mystery Enola Holmes, the thriller Every Breath You Take, and the musical mini-series Daisy Jones & The Six.

Jena Malone (Johanna Mason)

As the victor of the 71st Hunger Games and the only living member of her district, Johanna Mason, played by Jena Malone, had a memorable part in The Hunger Games saga. Since her time in The Hunger Games sequels, Malone has appeared in movies both big and small. Most recently, the actress appeared in the Amazon mini-series Too Old To Die Young. She'll next be seen in the David Bowie biopic, Stardust, as well as Lorelei and Antebellum.

Jeffrey Wright (Beetee)

In the role of Beetee, Jeffrey Wright was seen prominently throughout The Hunger Games sequels. An acclaimed actor of the stage and screen, Wright has appeared in numerous productions over the course of his career. Most notably, Wright can be seen on HBO's Westworld, which is currently airing its third season. But he's also set to appear in Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch, the new Bond blockbuster No Time to Die, and the drama All Day and a Night soon. He is also playing James Gordon in the forthcoming The Batman.

Stef Dawson (Annie Cresta)

As Annie Creta, Stef Dawson played a key role in The Hunger Games sequels as Annie. Since her time in these gigantic blockbusters, Dawson has opted to make primarily indie movies, though her latest film was the sci-fi thriller The Dustwalker, which was released last year. She'll next appear in the crime drama thriller, 10-13.

Julianne Moore (President Alma Coin)

Though she was only seen in the last two installments, Julianne Moore played a key part in the Hunger Games' final moments. Since her time in the YA blockbusters, Moore has been seen in movies big and small, and she has a few dramatic projects in the works. She'll later be seen as Gloria Steinem in The Glorias, and she is also soon set to appear in The Woman in the Window. She's also set to star in Mothertrucker, Fruitcake, and the Apple limited series, Lisey's Story, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King.

Natalie Dormer (Cressida)

Introduced in the final two installments of The Hunger Games series, Natalie Dormer's Cressida was a distinctive figure towards the end of the saga. Outside of The Hunger Games, Dormer has been seen or heard in several prominent TV shows lately, including Game of Thrones, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Up next, Dormer will play a major part in the upcoming spin-off series, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.

Wes Bentley (Seneca Crane)

As the Head Gamemaker in the 74th Hunger Games, Seneca Crane, played by Wes Bentley, served as a small-but-distinctive person in The Hunger Games (notably for his extravagantly strange facial hair). Since his time in the franchise starter, he has been seen in a number of prominent movies and TV shows, including Interstellar, Mission: Impossible — Fallout, and American Horror Story: Roanoke. Bentley can currently be seen on Yellowstone.

Mahershala Ali (Boggs)

Shortly before he became a multi-award winning actor, Mahershala Ali played Boggs, a key role in the final two Hunger Games movies. Since then, Ali has won two Oscars for Best Supporting Actor in 2016's Moonlight and 2018's Green Book, respectively. Most recently, Ali appeared in Alita: Battle Angel and the third season of HBO's True Detective. He's got several exciting projects lined up; one of the biggest will be playing Blade in the MCU.

Who is your favorite Hunger Games actor? Let us know in the comment section below!

Netflix has been heavily investing in the rom-com genre over the past couple of years, putting out quality products like Always Be My Maybe and also fun, easy-breezy watches such as Holiday in the Wild. Next, the subscription streaming service will be putting out Love Wedding Repeat, a movie that seems like it should have some punctuation in its title, but I digress. The good news? There’s already a trailer for the upcoming Netflix movie.

You can take a look at the full Love Wedding Repeat trailer below, but I implore you to keep a close watch, as the piece that seems to be the twist is not really the most major twist of the whole movie. Take a look.

So, watching the trailer, you see a bride (played by Poldark’s Eleanor Tomlinson) preparing to get married. Only some dude Marc (Jack Farthing) is trying to either stop or at least cause issues at the wedding. In the twist we see, Tomlinson’s Hayley and Sam Claflin’s Jack decide to put a sedative in Marc’s drink to stop him from acting out, only the glasses get switched and shenanigans ensue.

It’s a rather clever but unexpected plot for a romantic comedy such as this one, but the thing is, that’s not even the full story.

Namely, Netflix’s official logline for Love Wedding Repeat does give a little more away.

Given the world already knows the famous phrase “live.die.repeat” and what that phrase entails in the movie world, there is a hint to the major twist in Love Wedding Repeat’s title. In addition, in the trailer there’s a mention of “thousands of ways it could go wrong” as well as a fun comment from Joel Fry’s character Bryan noting, ‘Have you ever thought, if just one thing in history changed, then you wouldn’t exist?’

Basically, it’s going to be the Edge of Tomorrow of rom-coms, and that should appeal to a wide variety of people – perhaps even some who don’t normally deign to watch titles such as these.

Netflix has gotten a little eccentric in the rom-com genre before. In fact, The Knight Before Christmas specifically comes to mind when I think of weird romantic comedy twists on Netflix. In that movie, a knight travels from the 14th century only to find love in the 21st (and to learn about things like cars, of course).

Meanwhile, it looks like Love Wedding Repeat is totally taking a different tact to sort of bridge genres in a kind of Groundhog’s Day or Happy Death Day loop. We’ll have to see if the Netflix comedy also does it in enough of a way that it feels fresh, but for now, I’m certainly ready to give it a binge.

Love Wedding Repeat will be out very soon on Netflix, which means it will be one to look forward to during the current bout of self-isolation related to Covid-19. Catch it on April 10 and see what else is coming with our full Netflix schedule.

Adapting a true story to the screen is a feat that takes a lot of guts. By that fact alone director Baltasar Kormakur is made of steel, as he's back in theaters this week with Adrift, a film based on the real life struggle of recreational sailors Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp, during a trip gone awry. Much like his previous Hollywood film, Everest, Kormakur tackles the survival instinct and the hardships that sometimes go with humanity's interaction with the elements; and it's an improvement from his prior effort.

Tami (Shailene Woodley) and Richard (Sam Claflin) are two souls drifting through the world of sailing, who find each other one random day in 1983. That chance encounter will lead them to five months of love, and the biggest disaster of their lives, as they cross paths with the infamous Hurricane Raymond. What starts as a dire situation turns into a determined drive to live, as the couple will do all they can in the name of survival for an extended period of time.

Adrift is a captivating story of true-life survival, and it succeeds mostly thanks to the the intense performances given by Woodley and Claflin. While the film's story is mostly focused on the disaster survival aspect of their ill-fated voyage, it's the moments where Woodley and Claflin are falling in love that really shine. Their chemistry on the screen, both dramatically and romantically, is undeniable, and their efforts lift this film up in pieces that don't particularly hold up. Even in the worst of times, Tami and Richard are a couple you believe could stick with each other through thick and thin, and it helps to sell the swift two hour drama through any obstacles it encounters.

One such obstacle that drags down Adrift's otherwise stellar efforts is the editing of the film, which jumps erratically between the flashbacks of Tami and Richard's courtship before the storm and Tami's efforts to save herself and Richard post-shipwreck. If the film had started with the wreck that strands our sailors on the seas, and jumped between both halves of their lives, the narrative would have been more cohesive. However, even then, there would still be moments that cut too quickly between both halves of the story. Not to mention, there's a reveal in Adrift that is a pretty effective twist, that ultimately trips over itself by spelling everything out in a painfully detailed fashion.

None of that is enough to totally sink Adrift, as the film had me glued to the screen throughout its running time, even during the pieces that weren't so smartly edited. That's in great part to having frequent Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese collaborator Robert Richardson serving as the film's cinematographer. The images on display throughout are so skillfully crafted that your eyes can't help but drink it all in. Your eyes won't move from the screen, even during some of the more intense moments of bodily and ship-based disaster Adrift has to offer.

Balthasar Kormakur's fascination with nature-versus-man dramas brings the age old conflict on display to life in such harrowing detail. There are moments in Adrift that make you wonder how this film didn't get a release in a more immersive format. While there's some issues with the editing that disrupt the flow of Adrift's narrative, the luminary performances from Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin keep the audience invested in a thrilling tale of life and death on the high seas.

Actors and actresses often change sizes for roles in Hollywood. Occasionally, this means gaining weight for a gig, but more often than that it means dieting, working out and trying to get as trim as possible for action-oriented roles. Over the past few years, we've seen dudes like Chris Pratt and ladies like Amber Heard get into shape for roles, but recently Hunger Games franchise actor Sam Claflin spoke out about being asked to lose weight for a role and how no one in Hollywood seems interested in talking about male actors who go through those sorts of body changes. He said:

Although it's hard to compare the way women's bodies are viewed on film to the way men's bodies are scrutinized, Claflin clarifies men may not have it as bad in Hollywood, but there is a stigma around talking about men's bodies in his profession. And he doesn't really seem to enjoy it. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Claflin said he's felt like a "piece of meat" on movie sets in the past. While he doesn't straight-up express what movie he is talking about, the actor did go shirtless quite a bit during the Hunger Games movies. Regardless, he also talked about how hard he worked to earn that part in the interview, so it seems as if he probably has fond feelings for that gig. In addition, he had more action-oriented roles in Pirates of the Caribbean: Stranger Tides and The Huntsman: Winter's War. He could have even had his body scrutinized on a non action-oriented film. Regardless of when it happened, the actor isn't willing to totally bad mouth a specific movie, just industry practices in general.

Still, he says that he gets "worked up" for many roles and ends up spending hours in the gym and avoiding eating. It makes us wonder if his food diaries end up being something like Chris Pratt's. What Claflin seems to have taken from this is that if it were 40 years ago, it wouldn't have mattered in the least how he looked, but times have changed for men.

The camera adds 10 pounds, and these days a lot of directors are looking for actors who can show physical prowess and peak fitness--oftentimes because they are playing heroes and superheroes on the big screen. However, it's one thing to collaborate about weight for a role and quite another to have to deal with getting slapped around and feeling like less than a person. It's hard to see this snapshot of Hollywood and correlate it with the fun we get to see on the big screen, but it is a reality a lot of actresses and actors deal with in Hollywood, and some actors have a harder time with it than others.

Those of you looking to have a good cry are in luck, because the first trailer for Me Before You has been released, and it aims with gusto for the emotional jugular. It lands perfectly too, and you’ll have to be made of rather stern stuff not to get caught up in the gushing romance. You can watch the first trailer for Me Before You below. Prepare the tissues.

That video was rather beautiful, wasn’t it? OK, sure it was also cheesy, overly sentimental, and pretty much gave away the entire plot of the film, but it delivered the romantic ticks that will almost certainly lead to Me Before You getting bums on seats when it’s released later this year.

It’s also great to see Emilia Clarke in a vehicle that seems perfectly suited to her talents. While we’ve all become accustomed to watching the Game Of Thrones actress chin-wagging with dragons and trying to build up a formidable army in her quest to rule Westeros, it’s always been clear that there was much more emotional depth to her acting talents.

Emilia Clarke’s previous cinematic exploits have either been too small (Dom Hemingway), too indie (Spike Island), or just too wrong (Termiantor Genisys). But Me Before You looks as though it gives her the platform to showcase a wider array of emotions, with a well-rounded character that has an arc that resonates with audiences. Plus, she also looks rather dashing in that red dress.

Based on Jojo Moyes’ 2012 novel of the same name, Me Before You revolves around 26-year-old Lou Clark (Emilia Clarke). Desperate to find a job, Lou jumps at the opportunity to care for the quadriplegic Will Traynor (Sam Clafin), a formerly active, wealthy 35-year-old who was paralysed in a motorbike accident, and is, understandably, somewhat moody about his situation.

As the trailer makes perfectly obvious, the pair soon develops an emotional connection, and, from the looks of things, fall head over heels in love. But, while the sappiness of Me Before You is plainly apparent, the rapport between Clarke and Clafin looks genuine, while there were even some nice touches of humor and tragedy and oh God I’m welling up again.

Warner Bros. hopes the romantic drama will be the perfect antidote to the summer blockbuster fare, because Me Before You will be released on June 3, 2016. Its remarkably English cast is rounded off by Emilia Clarke’s fellow Game Of Thrones alumni Charles Dance and Doctor Who’s Jenna Coleman. Expect plenty of tea drinking and rain to be included.

Those Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers haven’t found their leading man just yet apparently. Even though the actor they were allegedly interested in, Sam Claflin, declared his adulation for the franchise with a rather emphatic Tweet earlier this week. However, Claflin has since deleted this post, and a representative for the actor insists that he’s not even a candidate for one of the suits.

Sam Claflin only has himself to blame for being heavily linked to the leading role in Power Rangers though. That’s because on Monday the English thespian tweeted out:

Now, to the naked eye, this could have just been seen as the actor randomly declaring his affinity for the much loved '90s children's television show. But, as Lionsgate Films and Saban are currently on the hunt for actors for their impending reboot of Power Rangers, movie aficionados and nosey parkers instantly read this as a declaration of intent from Claflin that he wanted to wear one of the color-coded, skin-tight spandex suits.

Meanwhile, some people jumped massively ahead with their assumptions and interpreted that his message to mean he’d already secured a leading part. But that’s actually not the case. A representative for Sam Claflin has now confirmed to Comic Book.com that the actor wasn’t actually a "candidate" for the film.

Despite being just 29-years-old, Sam Claflin has already popped up in a number of notable franchises in supporting parts, and he’s clearly on the look out for a leading role in a beloved series that will help catapult him to the Hollywood upper echelon. The Power Rangers reboot certainly looked as though it fit this mold for the actor, while it was also believed that he has the characteristics and CV to suit the film, too. Plus, it also helps that he’s a handsome sod.

But why has Sam Claflin been overlooked? Early guesswork is the actor’s age. The studios involved in the reboot have decided to follow Sony and Marvel’s plan for Spider-Man by casting younger actors, around the age of 18. In fact, both Lionsgate Films and Saban are also looking for relative unknowns. While the powers that be with the Power Rangers reboot might think that Sam Claflin is a bit too old to take a lead in their film, there’s no denying the fact that he has already assembled an impressive resume over the last five years.

After honing his craft in a number of British television productions, Sam Claflin rose to prominence thanks to his starring role as Phillip Swift in Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. As you’d expect, his presence in a $1.046 billion grossing film made him a hot commodity, which then led to him starring in Snow White and the Huntsman and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as Finnick Odair – a role that he has since reprised in both Mockingjay – Part 1 and Part 2.

Meanwhile, solid leading performances in The Riot Club, Love, Rosie, and The Quiet Ones, have proven that Sam Claflin certainly possesses leading man charisma. It’s just unfortunate for him that Lionsgate doesn’t believe it matches up with their plan for Power Rangers.

A long time ago, in a galaxy called Hollywood, the plans for Star Wars expansion continued with the announcement of a solo Han Solo movie, co-directed by The LEGO Movie hotshots Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The reveal came with precious few details, though it was made clear that the story would be an origin movie of sorts, explaining how Solo became "the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley."

About the only actor in town who won’t audition for this role is Harrison Ford… who returns to Solo’s story path in J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Disney and Lucasfilm are going to have to go younger when looking for the next actor to fill Ford’s massive shoes. We think the following 10 actors at least deserve a phone call. Do you have other suggestions? Let us know who you think is the perfect young Han Solo in the comments section below:

Dylan O’Brien

Current Age: 23

Where You Have Seen Him: The first Maze Runner film (and its pending sequel), as well as MTV’s Teen Wolf, where he plays "Stiles."

Why He’s Worthy: He’s shown a sarcastic side, but also can play the hero – two traits that a new Han Solo will need.

Colton Haynes

Current Age: 26

Where You Have Seen Him: Another Teen Wolf alum, Haynes also has appeared on Arrow (playing Roy Harper / Arsenal) and got a taste of big-screen action by appearing alongside The Rock in San Andreas.

Why He’s Worthy: If Disney wants to get a young star before he officially breaks out, and groom him to carry a franchise for years, Haynes could be their guy.

Scott Eastwood

Current Age: 29

Where You Have Seen Him: He charmed audiences (and Britt Robertson) in the Nicholas Sparks weeper The Longest Ride. He’s about to contribute to the DC Cinematic Universe in a mysterious Suicide Squad role, but a leap to Star Wars isn’t out of the question.

Why He’s Worthy: He’s a Hollywood "Blue Blood" (the son of Clint Eastwood, obviously), and he has the right mixture of movie-star good looks, irascible charm, and experience with tentpole action. Sign him now, before he blows up.

Liam Hemsworth

Current Age: 25

Where You Have Seen Him: The other Hemsworth has been busy protecting Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games series. He acted alongside Harrison Ford in the little-seen Paranoia, and is about to revisit another sci-fi property in Independence Day: Resurgence.

Why He’s Worthy: Because he’s young, handsome, modeled to be an action hero, and has a special movie-star gene that seems to run in the Hemsworth family. If Disney needs a name, this is the one that they should grab.

Anthony Ingruber

Current Age: 25

Where You Have Seen Him: Did you see The Age of Adaline? No? I know. No one did. But he was in it.

Why He’s Worthy: And in that film, during a key flashback, Anthony Ingruber played a young Harrison Ford, and his impersonation was uncanny. Now, is that enough to get him the role of Han Solo? Nope. But it should be on his reel when he sends it to Disney for consideration.

Theo James

Current Age: 30

Where You Have Seen Him: Though he had a role in Underworld: Awakening, most know him as Four in the Divergent series of films.

Why He’s Worthy: Because he has cut his teeth on a mega-YA franchise, and actors tend to take those parts so that they can springboard them to the next level. James actually rose above the tedium of the Divergent storylines, establishing Four as a three-dimensional character. Could he play Han Solo next?

Cameron Monaghan

Current Age: 21

Where You Have Seen Him: On television, on programs like Gotham, Mercy Street and Shameless.

Why He’s Worthy: Because Disney likely will look to successful TV properties in order to pluck top talent, and Monaghan has been building a fan base. He’s very young for what we assume Disney will want to Han Solo, but at this early stage, you never know what’s on the casting wish list.

Ansel Elgort

Current Age: 21

Where You Have Seen Him: Alongside Shailene Woodley in the cancer drama The Fault in our Stars, as well as the Divergent films. He also made a memorable inpression in the Carrie remake.

Why He’s Worthy: Elgort’s name has been on most "Hot Up-And-Comers" lists for the past two years, and he’s primed for a breakout. Unlike his fellow young (and intense) actors, he has that casual, carefree charm that fits Han Solo. Can he carry an action film? We may find out.

Sam Claflin

Current Age: 29

Where You Have Seen Him: Playing second-fiddle (though lending strong support) to the Hunger Games leads and both Snow White and her Huntsman.

Why He’s Worthy: Claflin has plenty of big-ticket experience (he also played Philip in the most recent Pirates of the Caribbean movie… also by Disney). This is intriguing. His name has been rumored for Gareth Edwards’ Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One. Maybe there’s a reason he’s on Disney’s radar?

Aaron Taylor Johnson

Current Age: 25

Where You Have Seen Him: As Kick-Ass, and in Godzilla, but also as a recent member of The Avengers during the Age of Ultron.

Why He’s Worthy: Because after starting in lower-budget fare, ATJ has worked to prove that he can play on the same court as the blockbuster movie stars. Marvel doesn’t need Quicksilver back for Phase Three (spoiler!!), so Taylor Johnson is free to explore new galaxies as another classic hero.

But who do we think REALLY deserves a look? Click on ahead for our bonus choice. You won’t be disappointed.

BONUS PICK: Jai Courtney

Current Age: Ageless

Where You Have Seen Him: Everywhere, in everything.

Why He’s Worthy: Because this is the Age of Jai, and Hollywood is doing everything in its power to make sure that Jai Courtney puts his fingerprints all over every franchise you have ever loved… from Die Hard to the Terminator. Look into your hearts, people. Jai Courtney as Han Solo. You know it. You love it. Make it so.

This poll is no longer available.

Previous reports have confirmed that the upcoming Snow White and the Huntsman sequel/spin-off The Huntsman already has plans to bring back a few actors from the first film, including Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron and Nick Frost, but now new reports are coming in saying that Sam Claflin will be reprising his role as well. At this point, it really does seem like Kristen Stewart is the only actor not being invited to this party.

The news comes to us from The Wrap, which says that Claflin has signed a deal that will see him return to the role of William, the son of Vincent Regan's character Duke Hammond and the love interest for Snow White in Snow White And The Huntsman. For those of you hoping that the actor will have an expanded part in the upcoming spin-off, however, I do have some disappointing news, as Clafin is said to have only a small supporting role in the blockbuster.

Of course, while having Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Nick Frost and Sam Claflin return is nice, there's always a craving for new blood as well. The good news is that The Huntsman has big plans to deliver, as the movie is also set to star Emily Blunt (as the principal antagonist), Jessica Chastain, Rob Brydon, Alexandra Roach and Sheridan Smith. The trade report says that the new movie will help expand the universe seen in the first movie, while also revealing how The Huntsman (Hemsworth) and Ravenna (Theron) originally met before the events of the first movie.

Sam Claflin may end up only having a tiny part in The Huntsman, but truthfully the guy hasn't been picking up blockbuster projects left and right for years now. The run began in 2011 when he landed what was basically the Orlando Bloom replacement role in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and he followed that up with Snow White and the Huntsman. In the last two years he has had a significant supporting part in the Hunger Games movies, playing the brash Finnick Odair, but that run will be ending later this year. That isn't even that big a deal, though, because we've also seen recent reports that he could wind up having a significant role in director Gareth Edwards' Star Wars anthology film Rogue One.

Now that Chris Hemsworth is wrapping up his commitments to Marvel for the time being, he will soon be working on the production of The Huntsman, which is scheduled to be released by Universal Pictures on April 22, 2016. The movie is being directed by first time feature director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, and is based on a script by Frank Darabont. Filming is surely scheduled to start soon, so stay tuned for more details.

There’s a fair amount of mystery still swirling around Star Wars: Rogue One, even after the panel hosted by Gareth Edwards at Star Wars Celebration. We know that Edwards is directing the heist story about a team retrieving Death Star plans. At the moment, Felicity Jones has been cast, and the project – from what we hear – might have circled her co-stars.

According to Variety, the Star Wars: Rogue One team is looking at Nightcrawler co-star Riz Ahmed to play the lead male role in the Star Wars spinoff movie. At the same time, The Wrap adds that The Hunger Games standout Sam Claflin (Finnick Odair) also is up for a role in the growing ensemble. Sources couldn’t tell the trade site who Ahmed or Claflin would play, though Variety did note that Ahmed "likely" would play a rebel soldier, which is what we believe Jones would play, as well.

Ahmed’s most recent part was that of Rick, an entrepreneurial camera man who got in with the wrong people – well, person – when he took a job combing the streets of Los Angeles with the predatory Louis Bloom (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) in Nightcrawler. It was a striking turn in a dark and somber movie, and Ahmed held his own opposite Gyllenhaal and against the cool and stylish scene design by writer/director Dan Gilroy.

Claflin, meanwhile, has dabbled in large-scale blockbuster fare. In addition to the Hunger Games movies, he played a part in the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean films, and acted in Snow White and the Huntsman.

We learned a good amount regarding Star Wars: Rogue One at the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim. Gareth Edwards took to the stage to fill fans in on the plans to expand Star Wars beyond the normal Saga, which will be contained to J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson’s films. Set in the years between Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, this films is being positioned as an action-packed heist film. It’s also believed to be an ensemble film, so we expect to hear more names added to the cast sheet before too long.

This weekend saw the long-awaited release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1. We've broken down how the movie's different from the book that inspired it. We've explored the importance of Effie Trinket, the core of Finnick Odair and Beetee Latier. And we've dug into why Lionsgate was wise to split the Mockingjay novel into two films. But even with twice the runningtime, some elements of the book have been cut.

Last week, I sat down with Sam Claflin, who won our hearts in Catching Fire, and now breaks them in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1. It turns out, even though Finnick gets his big moment of scorning the Capitol with his carefully collected secrets, there was something the filmmakers cut out of his Part 1 plot.

So, there’s some things in the book that we haven’t seen translated into this movie. Finnick has a little more to do in the book that he does in this version of the first film. Were there scenes that were cut that you shot?

Sam Claflin: It’s difficult, because I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to divulge.

Because there’s a part 2?

Well, I know one scene in particular has been cut, but I don’t know how much I’m able to talk about it, if that makes sense. Because I don’t know if it will be in deleted scenes or DVD extras. So I don’t want to ruin it for other people, whether or not there will be a director’s cut and that will be included, you know? But there are definitely moments of mine and other people’s that of course, for the betterment of the film and the fluidity of the film, needed to be moved around or shifted or in fact taken out. And that’s fine, and having watched the film now and watching the edit, it makes sense.

I remember in the book, Finnick ties knots, which is part of his character in the movie, but he also gives a piece of rope to Katniss as a way of helping her cope. And that’s not something we see in the movie.

No, I don’t think they’ve sort of found the opportunity for that to happen, for example, because I think that’s a really important moment. You know, that is him saying, 'This is how I deal with it. I hope it helps.' And it is an important moment, but at the same time, book to film adaptations will always be slightly different. They have to alter things, for whatever reasons, and that’s the thing I’m still getting used to.

Did you guys shoot Finnick giving her the rope scene, or was that never...

No, we didn’t.

So Finnick had a scene cut from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, but it wasn't that memorable moment from the book where he gives Katniss a bit of rope as a gesture of compassion and empathy. Quite a few of his scenes from the book have been usurped by Gale, like when he and Katniss watch Peeta's first interview, or when they go hunting together. So what could Sam Claflin be referring to above?

Give us your best guess in comments.

In The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, British heartthrob Sam Claflin won our hearts as the sexy, smirking and surprisingly noble Finnick Odair. But reprising his role in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, Claflin offers us a very different Finnick from the character's first frames.

Minor spoilers for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 lie ahead:

By the start of this third Hunger Games installment, Finnick has twice survived the deadly games put on by the Capitol to keep the Districts in line. For the first time since his reaping, he's out of the spotlight of President Snow, and it makes for a character that Sam Claflin compares to Marilyn Monroe.

In our exclusive interview, Sam Claflin said of Finnick:

Seeing the real side of Finnick includes a devastating monologue that fans of the book remember well. But protective of those who haven't, Sam Claflin was initially vague in his discussion of this big scene, making the following spoiler-free. In the sequence, Finnick is essentially telling all of Panem what he knows about The Capitol. Claflin recalls of shooting this scene:

We'll get more into this scene, and a Finnick scene Hunger Games fanatics will miss next week. To learn what Game of Thrones roles Claflin was once considered for, click here.

To discover what Jeffrey Wright had to say about his The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 character, Beetee "Volts" Latier, click to page two.

In The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, acclaimed character actor Jeffrey Wright returns as Beetee, the top-notch electrical engineer out of District 3. A Quarter Quell survivor turned rebel, Beetee is now his own worst enemy, trying to hack the security tech he created for the Capitol. When I spoke with him, Wright had this to say about his character's emerging backstory:

But when it comes to the Capitol, Beetee is resolute in his conviction. Asked what the defining characteristic of his character was, Jeffrey Wright responded:

For Jeffrey Wright's thoughts on his late co-star Philip Seymour Hoffman, click here.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 opens everywhere Friday.

In the upcoming blockbuster The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, Sam Claflin plays victor and Capitol adored dreamboat Finnick Odair, a District 4 tribute whose sexy smile hides a lot of secrets. But it turns out that Claflin came close to knowing nothing. Which is to say he could have been Game of Thrones' Jon Snow.

When I sat down to talk to Sam Claflin about The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, he mentioned how this marks he and Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer's second collaboration, following Lone Scherfig's drama The Riot Club. Oh and by the way, he's got another drama coming up (Me Before You) that will co-star the Mother of Dragons herself, Emilia Clarke. So, I asked if he had interest in becoming their Game of Thrones co-star as well. Claflin surprised me by saying, the British actor already auditioned for the show back when it was casting its first season. He explained:

It's surprising to hear Sam Claflin was called in for two Game of Thrones roles that are so different from each other. On the one hand, you have Jon Snow, an earnest, somber good guy, devoted to family and honor. On the other you have Viserys Targaryen, an entitled, power-hungry egomaniac who pimps out his own sister for political gain. I mean, what do these two characters even have in common, except…could this be an unintended hint that a certain fan theory about Jon Snow's mother is true?!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 opens everywhere Friday. We'll bring you more from Jeffrey Wright and Sam Claflin later this week.

"He was so dull in both Snow White and the Huntsman and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End that I'm actively dreading his turn at Finnick."

"Somehow even duller and dopier than Orlando Bloom's Will Turner."

"Does anyone honestly remember that movie ever existing, much less Claflin's role in it?"

I've said a lot of mean things about Sam Claflin over the years, and I'm here to make amends for it. The 27-year-old Brit was so deadly dull in the only two movies he's made, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Snow White and the Huntsman, that when he was cast as Finnick in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire I immediately started throwing daggers. Sure, Claflin is handsome and blond, and he's the flavor of the moment when it comes to pretty boys filling space in blockbusters alongside the actual stars (see also: Orlando Bloom, Ben Barnes, Hayden Christensen, Garrett Hedlund). But Finnick is probably the best character in the entire Hunger Games franchise, full of charisma and sexual energy, while Claflin was the guy who failed to strike up chemistry with a mermaid and Kristen Stewart in two separate blockbusters. Could he possibly be a worse choice for the golden dreamboat from District 4?

But I'm big enough to admit when I'm wrong, and I'm thrilled to report just how wrong I was. Claflin makes a fantastic Finnick. From the moment he first approaches Katniss before the victor's parade, chomping on a sugar cube in a scene lifted directly from the book, he nails Finnick's blend of charisma and slight danger; even if you've read the books and know about the relationship the two will develop, you wonder right alongside Katniss if Finnick is worth trusting. He's charming, he's beautiful, he's a little wicked, but he's also devoted to Mags (Lynn Cohen), the elderly fellow tribute from District 4; director Francis Lawrence develops their relationship even deeper than the book does, giving Finnick a larger soft side-- but never letting go of the idea that he might betray our heroes without a moment's notice.

Claflin clearly did some major training to look good fighting with a trident, and he pulls it off-- you don't realize it, but you've never seen anyone wield a trident except King Triton in The Little Mermaid, and it can't have been easy to look good while using a giant fork as a weapon. He also, let's admit it, looks pretty great with his shirt off, even though the costume designers seriously disappointed me by not outfitting Claflin in the sheer golden net described in the book. But most importantly, Claflin did exactly what I constantly said he couldn't-- he found the charisma and appeal that was totally absent in his previous roles and turned Finnick into a character as compelling as he was in the reader's imagination.

The Hunger Games series isn't short on hunks, from the murderous Career tributes in the first one to ever-reliable Peeta and Gale-- hell, I'd even lump Lenny Kravitz's Cinna in there. But Finnick is by far the best written, lacking Gale's morose self-regard and Peeta's moony emotions, emerging first as just a self-serving charmer and then revealing more depth over the course of Catching FIre and especially Mockingjay. If there's any reason to actually look forward to Mockingjay being split into two parts, it's that we'll get to see more of Finnick. It took Sam Claflin three tries, but he's finally found the franchise that proves he deserves star status. Orlando Bloom's got nothing on that.

I wasn't in Hall H at Comic-Con when the brand-new trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire premiered, but I'm pretty sure how I can guess how it went. There were really loud screams when the trailer started. There were even louder screams when Liam Hemsworth's Gale first appeared, and kissed Katniss right there onscreen. And then the roof probably caved in when Sam Claflin first appeared as Finnick, not just giving the sly FInnick grin, but doing it completely shirtless. The image above allows you to recreate that moment over and over again as much as you like-- so long as your roof is strong enough to withstand the screaming. (Click here to see it even bigger).

OK, fine, you can also relive the shirtlessness in motion by watching the trailer below-- Finnick shows up at the 1:49 mark. Because of the kind of burlap skirt he's wearing, does he not kind of look like a centaur at first glance? Just me?

The new trailer really isn't all that different from the first trailer that debuted in the spring, with the same emphasis on the political uprising that Katniss has inadvertently inspired and a complete refusal to show off any footage from inside the arena (that seems to be an ongoing theme in the Hunger Games series so far). But, as I wrote during the Comic-Con frenzy, I was also impressed by the barefaced politics of the film, and how strong the imagery of the popular uprising is. We're not that far away from Occupy Wall Street here in America, and we're witnessing the complete overthrow of a series of governments in the Middle East, for good or for bad. When American blockbusters get political they tend to get a little mealy-mouthed about it (think of the way the Iron Man movies start critiquing the military-industrial complex but then pay lavish attention to gigantic battles). Of course, Catching Fire has its own mealy-mouth problems as well-- a partnership with Subway in a story about a heroine whose family has frequently starved is just the start-- but to put such bold statements in a trailer, especially one that showed in the middle of the PR orgy that is Comic-Con, is impressive.

And now, to step off the political soapbox… how about that Finnick, eh? I've been a vocal Claflin skeptic ever since suffering through both the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie (you may have forgotten there was a fourth Pirates movie, but believe me, it was real) and Snow White and the Huntsman, both of which revealed Claflin as very handsome and very uncharismatic. But Finnick-- a fellow tribute in the Quarter Quell Hunger Games who is 100% dreamboat and gets 100% on Katniss's nerves-- is a great part for anyone willing to run with it, and these brief glimpses we've got from him seem to promise something livelier. Maybe not as lively as Finnick might be in your mind (author Suzanne Collins has surely sparked a lot of imaginations with the way she wrote him), but a lot more fun than boring old Peeta.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire comes to theaters on November 22. The marketing onslaught-- and the shirtless Claflin images-- have barely begun.

Last week brought a list of names including Brady Corbet (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Dane DeHaan (Chronicle), Alden Ehrenreich (Beautiful Creatures) for the role of Harry Osborn in the sequel to Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man, but apparently the studio has decided to move in a different direction with the character and are now looking for a whole crop of other potential stars.

THR has gotten a new shortlist of actors going out for the coveted role in the upcoming superhero flick, and while the character type has changed, once again it seems that they are going for smaller names rather than A-listers (though some are about to see a career boom). The trade's new report says that Sam Claflin, of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire; Eddie Redmayne, from My Week With Marilyn and the forthcoming Les Miserables; Douglas Booth, who is currently playing a role in Darren Aronofsky's Noah; and Hatfields & McCoys' Boyd Holbrook will all be testing with the director and the studio to play Harry.

Played by James Franco in the Sam Raimi trilogy, Harry is typically portrayed as a long time friend of Peter Parker's, and also, unfortunately, the son of Norman Osborn, a.k.a. the villainous Green Goblin. While the previous report said that the portrayal in the new movie would be similar to the previous incarnation - dark and edgy" - the story has apparently been changed and they are "now seeking actors with characteristics that include athleticism and good looks."

Whoever ends up being cast will join Andrew Garfield (Spider-Man), Emma Stone (Gwen Stacey), Shailene Woodley (Mary Jane Watson) and possibly Jamie Foxx (Electro) in the sequel, which is being written by Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci and will be released on May 2, 2014.

After weeks of casting announcements about minor characters even diehard Hunger Games fans probably didn't care about, we've finally snagged the final bit casting notice about Catching FIre-- and it's exactly what you're expected. Sam Claflin, last seen in Snow White and the Huntsman, will play the dreamboat tribute Finnick, who competes alongside our heroine Katniss in the Quarter Quell.

The news was confirmed today by Lionsgate, though the all-but-settled rumor went around more than a month ago, dashing the hopes of many who thought charismatic types like Armie Hammer or Matt Bomer might get the part. He joins a huge cast of newcomers for the second film, which finds Katniss and Peta (Josh Hutcherson) coming to the end of their Victory Tour across Panem, only to wind up back in the arena as part of the Quarter Quell, in which the new contestants are chosen from among the previous victors. Finnick is probably the new character most beloved by fans-- the fact that he's a handsome man probably doesn't hurt-- but right up there is Johanna Mason, the fiery tribute who clashes immediately with Katniss but eventually learns to work with her. Johanna will be played by Jena Malone, who was confirmed in the cast back in July.

Claflin, the Orlando Bloom of our time, will probably be just fine as Finnick-- i'm still holding out hope he's got charisma that just didn't emerge in Snow White or the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie. We'll find out for sure when The Hunger Games: Catching Fire comes to theaters November 22 next year.

After what's seemed like months of run-arounds and rumors and shortlists and wishful thinking, we finally have what looks like a frontrunner to play Finnick in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire…. and it's probably not who you're hoping. Not to say anything against Sam Claflin, who Variety reports is the choice to play Finnick in the sequel, but you probably don't know who he is, even if you caught his performances as very similarly handsome young men in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and this year's Snow White and the Huntsman. Claflin has the good-looking side of Finnick nailed, but as for the unbridled charisma and sexual appeal… well, if it's there, he hasn't managed to show it onscreen just yet.

Luckily there are two more actors you're guaranteed to recognize who also may get on board-- Melissa Leo is reportedly the frontrunner to play Finnick's former mentor Mags, while Tony Shalhoub could play Beetee, the electrically-ingenious former tribute who is paired up with Wiress, the character Amanda Plummer signed on to play just hours ago. As with Wiress, it's hard to explain how all these characters fit into the story of Catching Fire without spoiling too much, but all of them interact with our heroine Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), and eventually become her allies in both surviving the Quarter Quell and the tentative steps she takes toward a rebellion that will transform the entire nation of Panem.

Mags is a slightly bigger part than Wiress or Beetee, which makes it a meaty one for Oscar-winner Leo, but the character is also written as incredibly old, practically decrepit, with no teeth and no ability to survive any sort of physical challenge. Leo is 51, and far younger than I ever imagined the character to be; will they be aging her up with makeup, or simply making this version of Mags younger for the sake of casting someone as prominent as Leo?

Because these actors are just on a reported shortlist, and Lionsgate has been incredibly tight with casting announcements, we likely won't hear anything official for a while. In the meantime I'll be grateful that they at least don't seem to be looking at Alex Pettyfer for Finnick anymore, but also wondering what it is everyone keeps seeing in Sam Claflin. Is he the next star they're just going to force up on us whether we like him or not-- a la Orlando Bloom-- or is there some real appeal hidden in there that he hasn't shown off yet?

When Sam Claflin was cast as the fresh-faced young man who falls for a mermaid in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, he might have been expecting the same career boost that came for Orlando Bloom when he played the similar Will Turner in the original Pirates. But come on-- does anyone honestly remember that movie ever existing, much less Claflin's role in it? He's probably hoping to have better luck with this summer's Snow White and the Huntsman, in which he plays the prince Kristen Stewart presumably marries after her adventures fighting the wicked queen. But if that doesn't work out either, he's set up a considerably smaller project that will probably also offer him a bigger role.

Hammer Films has he's signed on to star opposite Mad Men and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows star Jared Harris in The Quiet Ones, a new supernatural thriller from the same company who recently had their biggest hit yet with The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe. The script was written by Craig Rosenberg, John Pogue (who also directs) and, oddly enough, The Messenger and Rampart writer-director Oren Moverman. Harris will star as a professor who conduct controversial experiments and brings some of his students in (presumably Claflin among them) to create poltergeists from "negative human energy," whatever that means.

The success of The Woman in Black, which made $126 million worldwide on a relatively small budget, means The Quiet Ones might get more attention than your average horror film, and Claflin might be able to make more of a name for himself when outside of giant adventure movies with other people as the headliners.

One of the biggest battles of 2012 will be between Universal Studios and Relativity Media. As we’ve been reporting all year, both film companies have their own takes on the Snow White fairy tale coming out during the 12 month stretch. We’ve already seen the studios butt heads over release dates – Relativity pushing Tarsem Singh’s Untitled Snow White project up to March 16th while Universal has Rupert Sanders’Snow White and the Huntsman dated for June 1st – but what if the characters themselves went head to head?

Early this morning the first images from Singh’s version of the Grimm fairy tale came online and when looking at the Snow White and the Huntsman images from Comic Con, I got to thinking: how would Kristen Stewart’s princess do against Lily Collins’? Could Armie Hammer kick Chris Hemsworth’s ass? What would be the result of a battle between Charlize Theron and Julia Roberts? Below you will find my complete breakdown.

Battle of the Snow Whites: Kristen Stewart vs. Lily Collins

Looking at these two images, I know exactly what you’re thinking: “Eric, one of these young ladies is wielding a sword and shield while the other is sitting pretty in a fluffy blue dress. This is a no brainer.” To that I say not so fast. Stewart may have the equipment (the sword is actually below the picture), but Collins has the numbers. Stewart looks all sad and alone in that photo because she has no friends, meanwhile the bright and shiny, happy-looking princess is surrounded by seven dwarfs that are clearly a little off kilter. Hell, Mickey from Seinfeld has a battle helmet on and one of the dudes in the back clearly murdered and decided to wear a ferocious beast. Plus, that big fluffy dress would be pretty damn hard to stab.

Battle of the Dashing Hero: Chris Hemsworth vs. Armie Hammer

Now things are getting a little interesting. These are both strapping young men wielding hardcore weapons that could easily kill a man. But let’s do a little bit of body language analysis, shall we? First let’s take a gander at Hemsworth. His hair is straggly and looks like it hasn’t been washed in weeks, he has a beard (which is a +1 in any fight), his eyes suggest that he’s not too happy with the way you’re looking at him, and the axe is slung over his shoulder like it’s no big deal. Now let’s move over to Hammer. Yes, his sword is thrust forward, but he seems to be leaning back a bit taking a defensive stance. His coat is nice and shiny and I polar bears would be envious of how white that shirt is. If these characters were to actually fight, Hemsworth would probably be okay with getting stabbed a few times provided it got him close enough to chop off Hammer’s head. But let’s be real, this was over the second I noticed the beard.

Battle of the Evil Queen: Charlize Theron vs. Julia Roberts

This is a much different kind of battle than the last two. Neither of these characters are inclined to do any physical labor themselves, so they definitely aren’t going to be picking up arms against each other. No, this is a battle of malevolence; a war that is won by the queen that simply wants it more. Ignoring the dagger in Theron’s hands (that’s clearly for show, come on), the high-collar and black dress looks so damn evil that Osama bin Laden would have thought it was a bit too much. Then there’s Roberts relaxing deep in her chair and wearing a dress so big that even if she were to try and stand she probably wouldn’t be able to find the floor. She looks so damn relaxed that you could Photoshop a remote control into her right hand and nobody would blink an eye. The choice is simple: one of these ladies simply wanted it more.

BONUS ROUND - Battle of the Other Guys: Sam Claflin vs. Nathan Lane

Seriously? Come on. It’s in the eyes.

FINAL ANALYSIS: By a final score of 3-1, the winner of this contest is Snow White and the Huntsman, but the war is from over. To learn more about both films be sure to check out each one’s individual pages in our Blend Film Database HERE and HERE. With that I’ll throw it to you:

This poll is no longer available.

Has the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film found its own Orlando Bloom-style breakout star? Disney announced today that British actor Sam Claflin will star in "the key role of Philip, a youthful missionary" in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which starts filming this summer. Claflin's casting comes right on the heels of Astrid Berges-Frisberg signing on to play a mermaid, which clearly indicates that casting for the film is in full swing.

You may remember that just a few days ago rumor had it that Claflin and Max Irons were the frontrunners for the role, and given that Irons is the son of acting legend Jeremy Irons, I guess nepotism didn't play too much of a role here. The plot of On Stranger Tides is still pretty secret, but it was probably safe to assume even before this that another green young man would be sent on an amazing journey at the hands of Captain Jack Sparrow. Now who gets the Keira Knightley role? I mean, you can't have a dashing young man without a young woman for him to moon over.