The Hunger Games - Catching Fire: Girl on Fire

>Launchpad gets an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the year’s hottest film: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. —Alyson Osterman-Kerr

It was only last year that Katniss Everdeen won the 74th annual Hunger Games, a competition that had her combating 23 of her peers in a fight to the death. But are the odds still in Katniss’ favor? While Hair Department Head/Hair Designer Linda Flowers may not be able to help the movie’s heroine in terms of battle tactics, she can save Katniss from a bad hair day.

“Katniss has always been practical—in the last film, she wore a signature braid, making sure her hair stayed tied back while battling the other Tributes,” Flowers says. “It wasn’t about being glamorous—it was about fighting for survival.” In this latest film installment, the beauty ante has been fired up, so to speak. “In Catching Fire, Katniss is caught between worlds—she’s still a member of District 12, but as a victor, she also belongs with the Capitol,” Flowers explains. Naturally, with this transition comes a change in her preening routine. Katniss’ makeup has shifted from natural to dramatic, and that simple braid she used to sport? While she continues to wear her signature style in the arena, when it comes to Capitol events, it’s evolved. “The braid is part of who Katniss is,” Flowers says. “But we couldn’t leave her hair the way it was for all those posh Capitol parties! What my team worked to do is to elevate Katniss’ hairstyles, but to always incorporate a braid into the look somehow and make it more elaborate.”

To read the full story, check out Launchpad's December issue, coming soon!

[Image: courtesy of Linda Flowers]