Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes: Does Donald Sutherland Make an Appearance?

Is Donald Sutherland, the original actor, seen in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which features a younger actor portraying President Snow? The Hunger Games, a renowned example of the teenage dystopian genre, takes place in a tyrannical Capitol where children are mercilessly pitted against each other in a deadly arena.

The highly successful franchise, responsible for launching Jennifer Lawrence's career, recently expanded in 2020 with the release of a prequel novel by Suzanne Collins titled "The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes." This novel has now been adapted into a global movie, set to release today.

However, as the film focuses on President Snow's teenage years, there is speculation about whether Donald Sutherland, the original actor portraying Coriolanus Snow, will make a cameo appearance.

Is Donald Sutherland in Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes?

No, the older President Snow does not make an appearance in the Hunger Games prequel movie. In fact, none of the original Hunger Games actors show up.

Most of the original characters are absent in the prequel story, except for Snow and his cousin, Tigris, who briefly appears in Mockingjay, portrayed by Eugenie Bondurant. However, they are portrayed by different actors - Tom Blyth plays the younger Snow and Hunter Schafer plays the younger Tigris. Unfortunately, the book does not include an older Snow, and fans who were hoping for a cameo from Sutherland in a post-credits scene will be disappointed.

Sutherland, despite being in his late 80s, remains an active and thriving actor. He has recently portrayed the character of Mr. Harrigan in the Netflix film "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" (which is based on the book "If It Bleeds" by Stephen King) and also played the role of the Judge in the upcoming movie "Miranda's Victim", set to release in 2023. Additionally, he is widely recognized for his appearances in notable films like "Pride & Prejudice", "Ad Astra", "MASH", and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers".

For those who will miss his compelling performances as a villain, please watch the video below.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is now in cinemas. Check out our other Hunger Games coverage below:

Editor's P/S

As a hard fan of The Hunger Games series, I was thrilled to hear about the release of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, a prequel to the original trilogy. However, I was disappointed to learn that Donald Sutherland, the original actor who portrayed President Snow, would not be making an appearance in the film. I understand that the story focuses on President Snow's teenage years, but I still believe that Sutherland could have made a significant contribution to the film, even in a small role.

Sutherland's portrayal of President Snow in the original Hunger Games films was truly chilling, and I think his presence in the prequel would have added a sense of continuity and authenticity to the story. While I am disappointed that he will not be appearing in the film, I am still excited to see how the prequel unfolds and to learn more about the younger President Snow.