McKenna Grace appeared at a fan screening in London to promote the upcoming prequel, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Grace plays Maysilee Donner, a tribute from District 12, in the new production.
The actress described her involvement in the franchise as an "opportunity of a lifetime."
Grace said, "It's like one of the most absurd events I've ever been to. This is insane."
She added, "I've never experienced anything like this. It's making me really emotional looking up at that. There's a poster up there of all of our faces." The actress noted she was unsure if she would ever participate in a project of this scale again.
Grace shared that being on the press tour with her castmates felt like being with family, though she said the daily time on set "didn't feel real." During production, Grace lived alongside co-stars Joseph Zada and Iona Bell. Joseph Zada portrays a young Haymitch Abernathy in the prequel.
The film follows Haymitch Abernathy as he competes in the 50th Hunger Games, which serves as the second Quarter Quell. In this specific Quell, twice as many tributes are selected from each district. Francis Lawrence directs the prequel, which is based on the 2025 novel by Suzanne Collins.
The story is set 24 years before the events of the original Hunger Games narrative. Ralph Fiennes stars as President Snow, while Kieran Culkin portrays Caesar Flickerman. Elle Fanning appears as Effie Trinket, and Jesse Plemons plays Plutarch Heavensbee.
The cast also includes Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle and Billy Porter as Magno Stift. The original films featured Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth, and the franchise became a global phenomenon after its 2012 debut. Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled for cinema release on 20 November 2026.
Grace remarked, "Change doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, but if you truly are working towards something you believe in – it's easy to say don't give up, but change takes time."
