INTERVIEW: Gary Ross and Josh Hutcherson talk about Romance in The Hunger Games

Though romance is not the main theme in The Hunger Games, it still played an important part in the series. The relationship between Katniss & Peeta, and the undeniable tension between Katniss, Peeta, & Gale struck the attention of many while reading the book or watching the movie. In the film adaptation however, the romance wasn't played up, but was all according to plan says director Gary Ross.

“The cave is truncated to a certain degree but the book is also pretty clear that Katniss is in a place where you don’t know if she’s doing it for the cameras or doing it because she has actually feelings for Peeta,” Gary explained to us when we asked if he’d intentionally toned it down to distance H.G. from those otherteen romance sagas. “She’s investigating the ambiguity of her own feelings at this point, so in that respect I think it’s faithful.”
“I don’t think that within the tone of the movie it would have worked for these things to be gushy, but I also don’t think that they really are in the book.”

Josh Hutcherson, who plays Peeta Mellark, shared his thoughts about the romance in The Hunger Games trilogy as well, saying that the relationships played a bigger part in the next two books.

“I think that the romance, in my opinion, comes into play more in the second and third films,” he weighed in. “It’s definitely still in the movie and it plays a key part in getting to know Katniss more and getting to know Gale and Peeta as well.”
“Part of it also was to make the character of Peeta more dynamic and interesting,” Josh told us on playing the romance subtly. “I think that Gary, Suzanne [Collins] and I all believe that he needed to have a little bit more backbone, not quite as gushy, lovey dovey and whatnot.”

I personally thought that the level of the romance in the movie was absolutely perfect! So much was portrayed through looks and emotions rather than words or kisses. They did a fantastic job!

Source: E Online!

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