The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled to begin filming very soon in order to be ready in time for its November 2026 release date. That means that casting is underway and will likely be finalized in the near future, with the main characters’ actors already confirmed, one of whom was a popular fancast. Sunrise on the Reaping has reportedly cast teenage Haymitch Abernathy, to be played by We Were Liars’ Joseph Zada. Whitney Peak will play Haymitch’s girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird, and Mckenna Grace his fellow District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner, forming the de facto leading trio of this Hunger Games installment.

While major questions like who will play President Snow in Sunrise on the Reaping are still up in the air, we have also gotten the very exciting news that Breaking Bad alum Jesse Plemons will be taking on the role of double agent Plutarch Heavensbee, previously played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in the original Hunger Games movie series. Plemons was a casting choice that at least a few people predicted online, unsurprising given his previous intelligent, maniacal performances. However, one of the main three was a far more widespread fancast, putting her future performance in an interesting light.

Mckenna Grace Is A Popular Hunger Games Fancast – Does This Make Her Job More Difficult?

Mckenna Grace Was The People’s Choice For Maysilee Donner

Mckenna Grace was a hugely popular fancast to play Maysilee, a member of District 12’s wealthier merchant class who is one of four children from her district forced to participate in the 50th Hunger Games, for which the Capitol demanded twice as many tributes as usual. Grace’s experience covers drama, action, and horror, all of which she can tap into to portray a tribute. Additionally, she perfectly matches Maysilee’s book description. Movies rarely end up casting who all the fans think they want in the lead role, placing an entirely different set of expectations on Grace.

Given her age and her range of acting experience that covers all the bases a producer could hope for in a Hunger Games star, Grace has really been suggested for almost any lead role in a potential prequel for this franchise. Screen Rant‘s writers even noted her as a possibility if the franchise were ever to cast a young Johanna Mason or a young Mags Flanagan. However, there tend to be more toxic reactions when someone readers didn’t pick is cast in such a role, and as Grace is such a dependable actor, it’s unlikely that she won’t live up to people’s expectations of perfection.

Sunrise On The Reaping Really Can’t Go Wrong With Mckenna Grace

Grace Is A Well-Rounded Choice For The Hunger Games

Grace has portrayed the relatable inner conflict of a girl whose world is turned upside down in Young Sheldon, the self-ᴀssurance of an action heroine coming into her own in Ghostbusters, and elements of tragedy in dramas like Gifted. She also, notably, has proven her ability to handle the weighty subject matter of a dystopia with her turn in The Handmaid’s Tale. Aside from her physical resemblance to Maysilee, Grace was so easy to imagine in the role because it’s clear she is more than capable of it.

Nothing suggests that Grace will be anything less than perfect in Sunrise on the Reaping and the filmmakers aren’t going to regret casting her. She probably won’t win any Oscars, but it’s going to be an all-around solid performance. Of the three leads, Grace is the most well-known but also the one closest to her character’s actual age. However, The Hunger Games has never gone wrong before with casting, and watching Grace work with Whitney Peak and Joseph Zada is sure to make the movie even better.