Hunger Games star’s uni speech goes viral as ‘fan fave’ set to play Effie – Entertainment News

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A happy Effie Trinket week to all Hunger Games enthusiasts!

“Perfect casting! Elle Fanning was born to play young Effie Trinket!” exclamatory cheers roared on social media, as Hollywood finally put the pin in the anticipated casting announcement. On Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the Emmy-nominated actress – already hailed as a fashion diva on one too many red carpets – had been officially tapped to play the younger version of Hunger Games’ Panem stylist, originally portrayed by Elizabeth Banks.

Shedding his Voldemort skin, Ralph Fiennes is taking on yet another diabolical villain icon as the diabolical President Snow in Francis Lawrence-directorial movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Plus, with previous casting announcements also rolling out the welcome mat for Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Maya Hawke, Zada, Whitney Peak, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Lili Taylor and Ben Wang among others, this Hunger Games development is potentially signalling at a smashing hit in the making.

Fan-favourite Hunger Games Effie Trinket casting comes to life

Ever since news of Collins’ best-selling novel continuing the ever-so-loved movie franchise hit the deck, fans have been zealously fantasising about Elle Fanning coming on board as Elizabeth Banks’ younger counterpart. The fandom could finally exhale a sigh of relief when the official Hunger Games SNS accounts fed confirmations, announcing “Elle Fanning is Effie” on Tuesday. All-cap comments like “WE WON,” “THE WAR IS OVER,” and “Casting director deserves an Oscar alone for what he’s done here” instantly took over the social media frame.

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman was also quick to sound off her approval on Elle joining the fray, saying, “From the moment Suzanne released the book, one question echoed from fans around the world: Who will play Effie?”

Hunger Games film studio equally an Elle Fanning Effie Trinket agenda truther

“Elizabeth Banks made her iconic — so who could honor that legacy while bringing us back to Effie’s early, most formative days? For us, there was only one answer. Elle Fanning’s career has been transcendent. She has a rare presence — warm, sparkling and layered with extraordinary depth.” Westerman signed off her remarks, adding, “She was the undeniable fan favorite from the start, and we’re honored she answered the call. The odds, it turns out, were in our favour,” as a nod to Effie’s unforgettable signature dialogue from the series.

Fanning took to her Instagram to celebrate the grand news that she would be continuing Elizabeth Banks’ legacy. Sharing a snap of the actress’ iconic character from the original four movies led by Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, the 27-year-old wrote on her IG Stories: “Effie has always been my favourite!”

Elizabeth Banks congratulates Elle, shares Effie’s wisdom at Penn University commencement

Consequently, the Pitch Perfect star also extended her heartfelt congratulations to Fanning, plugging the official Lionsgate Effie Trinket casting announcement video on her Stories.

This week was indeed kind to the fans of the escort for District 12 tributes in the Hunger Games. Multi-hyphenate Elizabeth Banks stepped out as the University of Pennsylvania 269th Commencement speaker on May 19. The actor-director-producer, who is also a Penn alumna herself, continued her streak of channelling her evergreen character. Snippets of her address ended up being widely circulated on X, as she remembered her Effie Trinket roots. Finishing her speech with the legendary send-off “May the odds be ever in your favour,” she won hearts both at Pennsylvania University and online.

“Congratulations Class of 2025!” Banks began her speech after receiving a humble introduction. She went on to quip, “You are all incredibly esteemed in your fields and I, did in fact, make Cocaine Bear, so we are all doctors now.”

“It’s me Dr Elizabeth Banks, who’s been asked to address you today presumably because I have been cast an over-sexed alcoholic multiple times, that’s made me more relatable to all of you.”

Iconic Hunger Games nod in Elizabeth Banks speech

She continued drawing chuckles all throughout her speech, which as she said was “all over the place,” and even addressed climate change at one point. Detailing her experience as a Penn graduate, she eventually concluded her message to graduating students by looking back at her iconic role of a lifetime. “In time, I always I came to see why I didn’t get a part. I’m not Legally Blonde’s Elle Wood, but I am the Hunger Games’ Effie Trinket.”

“And here’s the thing about Effie… she was protected by a system she propped up, promoted and collaborated with until she was overcome by empathy for Katniss and Peeta, who were unfairly treated by that same system.”

Baring out the uniqueness she imbued her character with, Banks went on to say how Effie “ended up in the bunker helping the revolutionaries” despite that part being amiss in the books. “It’s in the films because of what I brought to Effie – an emotional arc, a dash of empathy, a crush on Haymitch, and I wore the hell out of those costumes. In short I didn’t accept anybody else’s idea of what I could with that part. Not even the author who created her.”

Switching over to calls for keeping abortion legal and shining the light on unwanted pregnancies, Banks was treated to deafening cheers as she signed off, “Keep abortion legal, access to reproductive healthcare is the ultimate safety net. Not only does it save lives, it is your insurance policy to a fun, healthy, successful, liberated, relationship-positive life that I know you have worked so hard for…Congratulations Quakers, Class of 2025, thank you! And may the odds be ever in your favour.”

Watch the full University of Pennsylvania commencement here:




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