How the Original ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Helped Shape the New Effie and Haymitch

Fans of the blockbuster saga are counting down the days until they return to Panem. Ahead of the premiere, the team behind the camera is opening up about the cast, the secrets, and a few familiar faces.

The stars of the original "Hunger Games" movies shared some valuable insight with the actors joining the franchise as they filmed the latest installment, "Sunrise on the Reaping."

The sixth movie, adapted from Suzanne Collins' fifth "Hunger Games" novel, arrives in theaters next month.

Set in the world of Panem, the story follows a young Haymitch Abernathy (played by rising star Joseph Zada) as he competes in the Second Quarter Quell, decades before he mentors Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark through their own Hunger Games.

According to producer Nina Jacobson and director Francis Lawrence, several of the franchise's original stars helped the newcomers ease into their roles.

Speaking with People at a filmmaker event where clips from the upcoming movie were screened, Jacobson said "the original actors were very generous" with their guidance.

The film boasts a star-studded cast, with Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle, McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Elle Fanning as a young Effie Trinket, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee and Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman.

Elizabeth Banks, who portrayed Effie in the original films, reached out to Fanning after she was cast to discuss stepping into the shoes of the eccentric Capitol representative, Jacobson revealed.

Jennifer Lawrence, who played heroine Katniss in the original four films, has long been rumored to make an appearance in the prequel. However, when asked whether she is part of "Sunrise on the Reaping," neither the actress nor Jacobson would confirm.

"I speak to Jen fairly often," Jacobson said. "I'll just keep it at that."

While Lawrence's involvement remains to be seen, Woody Harrelson, who played the older Haymitch in the original films, was among the first stars from the franchise to learn that "Sunrise on the Reaping" was in the works.

Still, Lawrence admitted that Harrelson is "not the person you want to tell a super secret to."

"You never know that he could do an interview or tell somebody, and the next thing you know is everybody knows there's a Haymitch book before they know there's a Haymitch book," she said.

She continued, "So we had to sort of time that out, but we definitely did contact him immediately just to let him know that there's a book about his character and that we were in the midst of casting somebody and probably getting in touch with Woody and all of that."

Many of the younger actors were drawn to the franchise by their love for Collins' books, but several of the movie's bigger names had also expressed interest in joining the prequel.

Close's team reached out to ask whether she could be part of the film, while Jacobson and Lawrence said Hawke was thrilled to take on the role of Wiress.

"It's not even a big role. It's pivotal, but it's not a huge role," Lawrence added. "But Maya was like, 'I grew up on these movies. I love Jen [Lawrence]. It's what made me want to act.' She was rabid for it."

"They grew up with Katniss," Jacobson said of some of the younger cast members. "They grew up with the original series. They had their own relationships as fans. Mckenna Grace — like there's no bigger fan. You will not find a bigger fan of this series than McKenna."

"But all the kids, they had their book, their dog-eared book, and they knew our movie so well, and they grew up on them, and they wanted to be a part of it because of what it meant to them when they were kids themselves," she added.

"Sunrise on the Reaping" is set to hit theaters on November 20.