By: Lynn Barker
In a cute black and white summer dress, 15-year-old actress Willow Shields who played Prim in The Hunger Games films, attended a fan-centric event in Hollywood celebrating the release of the huge, six disc, home entertainment The Hunger Games set containing Mockingjay Part 2 and all the other movies. She also gives us info on her latest film. Check it out!
Kidzworld: At the first Hunger Games I think you were (really young).
- Willow: Yeah I think I was about twelve.
Young Willow as Prim in The Hunger Games filmCourtesy of Lionsgate
Kidzworld: And you grew up on the series.
- Willow: I did grow up on the series. It was ten to fifteen now. I’m almost sixteen. So, yeah, it’s crazy.
Kidzworld: Does it surprise you at this point that it’s wrapped, it’s over and we have the DVD coming out for people to watch at home and enjoy all over again?
- Willow: It’s surprising but I swear it hasn’t hit me that it’s over. It’s the weirdest thing. It’s almost like because the fans still talk about it all the time and continue to compliment us on our work, it almost feels like it’s not over yet which is interesting. So, it still hasn’t hit me. I don’t know when it will. Maybe it won’t be for another ten years, who knows?
Prim in her nurse uniformCourtesy of Lionsgate
Kidzworld: A lot of the fans are your age. Do they ask you for advice or what is the most touching contact you have had with fans?
- Willow: It’s amazing because the fans are my age and I feel like that’s why they love the character of Prim so much. They can kind of relate to her on different levels. They’re amazing. They’ve asked for advice on acting and theater and different arts and how to follow whatever you want to do and work hard and it’s amazing to see young people really interacting with the film industry and following their dreams. It’s amazing to see that and think that maybe I influenced them in some way is pretty crazy.
Prim in front of Snow's mansionCourtesy of Lionsgate
Kidzworld: Have you stayed in touch with your castmates, particularly Jennifer? Are you guys like sisters for life?
- Willow: Yeah. For sure. I think we all bonded so much. We had five years to bond over filming and grueling press days but we had fun through all of it though. No matter how much work we had to do and long hours we had. We just had fun and goofed off between scenes and it made the whole thing really fun. Yeah, I’ve stayed in touch with a lot; Jen, Josh, Liam, Jenna Malone, a lot of them yeah.
Willow with Jennifer at recent eventCourtesy of Lionsgate
Kidzworld: There are a ton of extras on this 4 movie DVD/Blu-ray release. Were you part of those and what can people expect to see from you?
- Willow: I haven’t seen the extras yet so I’m not positive but I’m sure I’m in there somewhere. I know I saw a little clip of me and Jen goofing around on set one day so there will be a bit in there probably but I think it will be cool for fans to see the behind-the-scenes how to make a movie and what goes into it and how much we really do goof off on set. But, they’ll get to have an inside look. (Note: Willow does appear in quite a few scenes and on a few short commentaries in the 4-film set).
Willow in Mockingjay Part 2Courtesy of Lionsgate
Kidzworld: You have another film called “The Wonder”. Can you talk a little about that? You filmed it in China and New Zealand?
- Willow: Yeah. I just finished with that and it was amazing. It was my first leading role actually which was very challenging. I filmed two months in China so I lived in China for two months then a month in New Zealand which was incredible, a totally different experience. It’s a family adventure film so it will be good for young kids. I think it’s another way to connect with young people which I love to do. I’ve found it’s a really personal way to connect with kids my own age or even younger.
Prim talks with damaged PeetaCourtesy of Lionsgate
Kidzworld: Does it have kind of a science fiction or fantasy element to it?
- Willow: Yeah, it does. It’s kind of scientific. That’s what was really interesting to me about it which drew me it. It was a kids’ film that was very scientific; something to make kids think. Just like “The Hunger Games”. They said it was a teen film but, let’s be honest, it’s an amazing teen film that even adults love and (they are) questioning things and thinking so I could kind of compare it to that in a sense because it’s scientific, it makes you think and it’s really exciting. It’s got some action in it. I had to do a few stunts which I was pretty excited about so yeah. (Note: the film is about group of schoolkids who follow a rainbow that magically transports them to China, where they find themselves pursued by a mysterious organization as well as the cause of a major natural disaster.)
Willow as Prim with her catCourtesy of Lionsgate
Kidzworld: Was that your first trip to Asia or had you been to other Asian countries?
- Willow: That was my first trip to Asia so it was amazing. I went to Qingdao China, Beijing, kind of all over China to film. Then I went to Auckland, New Zealand and Queenstown, New Zealand so it was a really amazing shoot.
Kidzworld: What is your favorite moment from “Mockingjay Part 2”? Either when you were performing the scene or watching it?
- Willow: Oh gosh. I loved filming the scene with Jen in “Mockingjay Part 1” where we were in the bunk bed talking in the middle of the night. I felt like it was such an emotional scene. It really wasn’t emotional because we weren’t crying but there was something really deep to it and there was a lot behind both of our characters that we loved. We just had fun together. In between shots we’d just lay there and talk to each other and it felt so real, as if we were lying there talking to each other as sisters in real life and all of a sudden they just turned on the camera and we kept going. That was amazing.
Recent publicity shot of WillowCourtesy of Lionsgate
Kidzworld: For fans who haven’t read everything about you at this point, what would surprise people about you? Like do you have a special hobby or ability? Can you juggle?
- Willow: I wish I had really weird special abilities. I’m really into a lot of different art which isn’t surprising. My dad’s a photographer and filmmaker so I’ve just recently gotten interested in doing film photography (as opposed to digital) so that’s really difficult and I’ve been developing my own film and cutting and sliding it all so that’s been really difficult so that’s what my new hobby is, the film stuff. But, other than that, just art in general in my thing.
Kidzworld: So you will be sixteen soon?
- Willow: In June yeah.
Kidzworld: Congratulations. Are you driving yet?
- Willow: I have to get on that driving thing! That’s what I’ve been busy with. I’ve been trying to apply to driver’s Ed. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I’m scared or excited.
The Hunger Games: The Complete 4-Film Collection Blu-rayCourtesy of Lionsgate
The Hunger Games: The Complete 4-Film Collection is not available on Blu-ray!
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