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Wide ScreenAlexander Ludwig talks to Yahoo! Canada Movies about living up to the ‘Hunger Games’ hype
While many may know Alexander Ludwig for his more heroic roles in movies like "The Seeker" and "Race to Witch Mountain," the now 19-year-old Vancouver native is set for a much darker turn in the highly anticipated big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games."
As the highly trained and extremely deadly Cato, a "tribute" (that is to say, a competitor) in the 74th Hunger Games, Ludwig finally gets to indulge his villainous side, much to the chagrin of fellow contestants Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). It's a part that, despite its violent nature, the actor called "very fulfilling" at a sit-down with journalists on the eve of the film's Toronto premiere.
Sporting a wry grin like the one usually reserved for fellow tributes moments before inflicting their death, an enthusiastic Ludwig warmly greeted members of the press in a small hotel room downtown. The actor's love for the series and for his character quickly became evident to those in attendance, and despite all the hype surrounding the film, the young Canadian seemed surprisingly calm facing a storm of expectations.
"Obviously there is pressure from the fans because ["Hunger Games"] is such a big phenomenon, but it was more the pressure that I put on myself because I am a huge fan as well," beamed Ludwig. "If I wasn't in the position I am, I'd be behind the ropes screaming with all the other fans."
That's quite the mental image, but Ludwig's passion for the source material should help placate hard-core fans worried about Cato's onscreen characterization.
The actor is clearly invested in the character and has the lumps to prove it. "It was very, very physical. My character, Cato, has the most action in the film," said Ludwig, almost out of breath at the thought. The demanding physical role required the already athletic Ludwig (he's a skier and a surfer) to pack on an additional 30 pounds of muscle and endure hours of rigorous hand-to-hand combat training at the hands of a real-life U.S. Navy SEAL.
Pugilistic training is all well and good, but mere fists won't get a tribute very far in the Hunger Games. Ludwig was also required to go through intensive sword training to get a real handle on Cato's deadly weapon of choice.
When asked about the message he hopes "The Hunger Games" delivers to young audiences, Ludwig drew parallels between the dystopian film's televised teen combat and our own society's obsession with reality television.
"I think it says something about our society that a lot of people are entertained by other people's downfalls and faults." The actor was quick to point out his own love/hate relationship with reality TV, confessing that he is a fan of the Discovery Channel's "I Shouldn't Be Alive," a reality TV program documenting amazing survival stories. "I like applauding people's successes."
Ludwig's character, Cato, would probably disagree with that sentiment. As a career tribute -- that is, a Hunger Games competitor who has purposefully trained to compete in the games from a very young age -- Cato would be more likely to applaud your death than cheer on your success. While schadenfreude is definitely a large part of the character, Ludwig believes that it was Cato's other traits that drew him to the part.
"There's a lot more depth and substance to the character than just a normal villain, and that's kind of what attracted me to the role," said Ludwig. The killer tribute from District 2 may have volunteered for the games, but he soon realizes that he is as much a prisoner of the Capitol's twisted system of control as the randomly selected contestants are. "At the end of the movie you really see that there's more to Cato than originally expected."
Being a fan of the novels, Ludwig had high hopes for the big-screen adaptation of "The Hunger Games" coming in, but he never expected to get any of the limelight himself. "That was definitely a shocker," he said. "I expected the movie to get the attention, but I didn't really think I would be getting any of the attention."
Recalling the film's Los Angeles premiere last week (in which the actor took more than an hour and a half to work the carpet), Ludwig seemed very humbled by the fan enthusiasm. "It's always a pleasure to have people admire your work. That's awesome."
Asked to explain the appeal of the "Hunger Games" franchise, Ludwig summed things up thusly: "It's very original and very new and very edgy. I think people like to experience stuff that isn't afraid to push boundaries."
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