really didn't want to have to explain things ... how do you get compelled by these [animals] that just appear at the end of the movie? We wanted to find a way to introduce them without having to explain specifically and exactly what they were and the game room was a really great opportunity for us to be able to do that." Casting Ross had a general idea of who he wanted to cast in some roles, but the studio insisted to hold auditions for the roles, which he accepted. He found the castings of Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne as "honestly easy". Lionsgate confirmed in March 2011 that about 30 actresses auditioned or read for the role of Katniss Everdeen, including Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Emma Roberts, Saoirse Ronan, Chloë Grace Moretz, Jodelle Ferland, Lyndsy Fonseca, Emily Browning, Shailene Woodley, Kaya Scodelario and Troian Bellisario. On March 16, 2011, it was announced that Jennifer Lawrence (who was at the time filming for X-Men: First Class) had landed the role. Feeling that Lawrence "blew the doors off the place", Ross described Lawrence as having "an incredible amount of self-assuredness, you got the sense that this girl knew exactly who she was. And then she came in and read for me and just knocked me out; I'd never seen an audition like that before in my life. It was one of those things where you just glimpse your whole movie in front of you." Though Lawrence was 20 when filming began, four years older than the character, Collins said that the role demanded "a certain maturity and power" and said she would rather the actress be older than younger. She added that Lawrence was the "only one who truly captured the character I wrote in the book" and that she had "every essential quality necessary to play Katniss". Lawrence, a fan of the books, was originally intimidated by the size of the production, and took three days to accept the role. Contenders for the role of Peeta other than Josh Hutcherson, included Alexander Ludwig, Hunter Parrish, Lucas Till and Evan Peters. Ross felt that Hutcherson was a "pitch perfect". Other actors considered for the role of Gale Hawthrone included David Henrie, Drew Roy and Robbie Amell before Liam Hemsworth was cast. In April 2011, John C. Reilly was in talks with Lionsgate to portray Haymitch Abernathy. The following month,