Hunger Games Star Says He Was Terrible In The Movies
Sam Claflin, Finnick from the Hunger Games, thinks he was terrible in the films because of a horrible American accent.
When most actors look back on the films they’ve appeared in, they generally take pride knowing they gave a performance their all. Unfortunately, that isn’t true with The Hunger Games star Sam Claflin. According to AV Club, the British actor was embarrassed by his American accent in the wildly successful film series, where he played Finnick Odair alongside Jennifer Lawrence‘s Katniss Everdeen.
“I didn’t have an accent coach in Hunger Games, and I f***ing needed one,” said the Book of Love star. “I look back and listen to myself like, ‘God, that’s terrible.’” Despite the actor’s harsh self-criticism, his performance was very well-received by viewers, with his character Finnick becoming an instant favorite amongst fans.
Sam Claflin debuted as the trident-wielding character in 2013’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and reprised the role in the final two films. Taking on the character required the actor to try on an American accent for the first time. In addition, portraying Finnick had Claflin appearing in his first-ever shirtless scene.
The good news is that the actor’s role in The Hunger Games franchise has helped him to feel more confident in himself. Since his final turn as Finnick in 2015’s Mockingjay – Part 2, Sam Claflin has landed prominent roles in over a dozen film and television projects. Between 2019 and 2022, he appeared as Oswald Mosley in the hit Netflix series Peaky Blinders.
For his next role in the upcoming mini-series Daisy Jones & The Six, the Hunger Games actor was able to perfect his American accent. He portrays Billy Dunne in the show, which follows the rise of a rock band through the ‘70s LA music scene on their quest for worldwide icon status. Created by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the series also stars Riley Keough, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, Sebastian Chacon, Tom Wright, and Timothy Olyphant.
On the motion picture side of things, Sam Claflin recently wrapped filming on the horror flick The Bagman. His character in the upcoming feature is nothing like his Hunger Games role. He plays Patrick McKee, a man who fights his deepest fear when a sinister threat from his childhood returns to haunt him.
The Bagman is currently in post-production and without a release date. Alongside Claflin, the film stars Frankie Corio, Antonia Thomas, Steven Cree, William Hope, Adelle Leonce, and Henry Pettigrew. Colm McCarthy directed the movie from a screenplay by John Hulme.
Although The Hunger Games is a thing of the past for Sam Claflin, the franchise is set to return to theaters later this year with a brand-new installment. Subtitled The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the latest entry will reportedly serve as both a prequel and spin-off. Francis Lawrence helmed the new film from a script by Michael Arndt.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will center on Coriolanus Snow as he mentors and develops feelings for the female District 12 tribute during the 10th Hunger Games. The forthcoming movie stars Viola Davis, Hunter Schafer, Peter Dinklage, Rachel Zegler, Burn Gorman, Jason Schwartzman, Tom Blyth, and Ashley Liao. It’s scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 17, 2023.
