Woody Harrelson will play the role of Haymitch Abernathy in the film version of Suzanne Collins’ popular novels, The Hunger Games, according to published reports. The film, to be directed by Gary Ross, will be in theaters March 23, 2012.
As previously reported, the cast will feature theater veterans Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman and Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane, along with Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, Elizabeth Banks as Effie, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale.
Harrelson, perhaps best known from his Emmy Award-winning portrayal of Woody Boyd on the television series Cheers, starred in The Rainmaker and Biloxi Blues on Broadway. In the West End, he has appeared in On An Average Day and The Night of the Iguana. The actor has received Oscar nominations for his work in The Messenger and The People Vs. Larry Flynt. Among his many other film credits are No Country for Old Men, Zombieland, and Play It to the Bone.
