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Kieran Culkin on his Hunger Games debut: ‘I have no idea what I’m gonna do’
Kieran Culkin is approaching The Hunger Games with major humility and as he steps into the role of Caesar Flickerman, here's what to expect
The world of The Hunger Games is back — and this time, it’s bringing a whole new ensemble of elite talent into Panem. While fans are hyped for Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest chapter in Suzanne Collins’ dystopian saga, one name in the cast has caught everyone's attention: Kieran Culkin. The actor recently revealed his thoughts on his performance, and they're as hilariously modest as you'd expect.
Recently confirmed to play Caesar Flickerman, the same larger-than-life Capitol host that Stanley Tucci so iconically embodied in the original films, Culkin had a surprising message for fans. While signing autographs, he reportedly told one excited onlooker: “Lower those expectations, please. Please do. I have no idea what I’m gonna do with that.”
Known for his Emmy-winning role as the deeply complicated Roman Roy in HBO’s Succession and his recent Oscar win for A Real Pain, Culkin has earned a reputation for delivering powerhouse performances while never taking himself too seriously. And of course, following in Stanley Tucci’s glitter-covered footsteps is no small task since Tucci’s version of Caesar was theatrical, flamboyant, and oddly endearing
Culkin is joining a powerhouse cast in Sunrise on the Reaping, which includes Ralph Fiennes as a younger Coriolanus Snow, Joseph Zada as a young Haymitch Abernathy, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, and Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird.
The film will bring to life Collins’ latest book of the same name, released on March 18. The novel revisits the 50th Hunger Games — also known as the Second Quarter Quell — and dives into the emotional and political complexities that shaped a young Haymitch, revealing the roots of the battle-hardened mentor we meet in Katniss Everdeen’s story.
