• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

College Magazine

College Life, Dating, Career & Campus Advice

  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

You are here: Home / Life / Celebrity Advice / Move Over Katniss: CM Interviews The Hunger Games’ Cato

Move Over Katniss: CM Interviews The Hunger Games’ Cato

April 5, 2012 //  by Josh Axelrod

FacebookTweet

I’ve been mildly obsessed with The Hunger Games for about a month now. Okay, so I finished the trilogy in record time. And I’ve seen Gary Ross’ Hunger Games movie three times. And my Facebook profile picture is currently a Peeta meme. I take it back: I’m obsessed with that series to an unhealthy degree.

 
Katniss and Peeta may have been the stars of the 74th annual Hunger Games, but let’s take a moment to appreciate the tributes who died in the arena. Though they were all being forced to fight to the death by The Capitol, the other tributes, especially the careers from Districts One and Two, were formidable opponents. No one (besides Rue, RIP) left more of an impression than Cato, played in the movie by the blonde and buff Alexander Ludwig.
 

Ludwig turned one of the book’s least fleshed-out characters into a semi-villain who you could empathize with to a certain extent. That’s why when the end credits rolled, I knew I wanted to learn more about the actor who helped make my beloved book into a successful movie. In one of the coolest journalistic moments of my life so far, he agreed to talk to CM. Just take a moment to drink that in: CM interviewed someone who was in The Hunger Games!
 
Making Cato Memorable
 
Ludwig was no Hunger Games virgin when he was cast as Cato. He had read all three books and was ready to get inside the head of one of the book’s most enigmatic characters.

 
“Cato…was able to justify his actions because he was raised and bred to compete in the games and was never shown an alternative,” said the 19-year-old Vancouver native. “He was as much a victim of circumstance as was every other participant. I enjoyed playing him because I was able to explore Cato’s moment of revelation and eventual demise. This was a wonderful moment for me as an actor.”

The “revelation” Ludwig alluded to was a speech Cato gave on top of the cornucopia at the end of the film while putting Peeta in a chokehold and bleeding out of a huge gash in his head. It wasn’t in the book, but it should’ve been. Cato, through tears, admits that his entire life has been wasted before regaining his resolve to win.
 
“Gary and I discussed this moment at great length and he was instrumental in getting me to where I needed to be emotionally,” said Ludwig. “I prepared for the scene by emotionally exploring Cato’s life and experiencing the hollowness that comes from a life that is mislead.”

 
You usually don’t see movie villains experience epiphanies like that. After playing more traditional hero roles in The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising and Race to Witch Mountain, how did Ludwig like stepping into the bad guy’s shoes?  
 

“In some ways playing the villain is more fun because you get to explore a side of you that you rarely access,” he said. “I felt extremely fortunate to be part of [Cato’s] exploration of self.”
 
 
The College Games
 
No offense to Seeker or Witch Mountain, but The Hunger Games marks the highlight of Ludwig’s career so far both professionally and financially (so far, the film has earned over $258 million at the box office). How will this high-profile success affect his acting career?
 
“That is a great question that has yet to be answered!” said Ludwig, clearly not wanting to get too ahead of himself. “Hopefully it will open doors and allow me more freedom of choice.”
 
Ludwig recently had to make a difficult choice: he decided to take a leave from the University of Southern California – where he is a sophomore studying film, theater and entrepreneurship – until (possibly) the fall semester. Though juggling the two lives may not be in the cards at the moment, Ludwig still had nothing but good things to say about his time at USC.
 
“College has been one of the best experiences of my life,” he gushed. “I have grown immensely as a result of living away from home and becoming a part of the social structure.”
 
 A Tough Act To Follow
 
I can only imagine what it was like being on the set of The Hunger Games, watching Katniss be paraded around The Capitol or blow up a minefield in the arena. Because I’ll never know, I’ll just live vicariously through Ludwig.   
 
“We all got along ridiculously well,” said Ludwig. “Jen [Lawrence, Katniss] has the most quirky, adorable sense of humor, and Josh [Hutcherson, Peeta] is truly a great guy. Gary is one of the kindest directors I have ever worked with. He rarely loses his temper. We had so much fun hanging out and getting to know one another, it felt like we were one big family by the end.”
 
What I wouldn’t give to be best friends with Jennifer Lawrence…moving on. With The Hunger Games behind him, what’s next for the rising star?
 
“I am reading a ton of scripts and trying to find a project as worthy as The Hunger Games,” said Ludwig. “It’s no easy task.”
 
It must be nice to be 19 and have the bar set that high for future acting projects. Of course, as Ludwig says, getting to that point in an acting career isn’t easy.
 
“Only attempt to be a part of this industry if you are committed to giving 100 percent,” he told all aspiring actors out there. “It is a rollercoaster ride full of ups and downs, praise and criticism. It requires thick skin, as the rejection is endless.
 
“Having said that…I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” 
 
 
Photo: at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLPZmPaHme0&ob=av3e

FacebookTweet

Filed Under: Celebrity Advice Life

About Josh Axelrod

Junior > Journalism > University of Maryland

You May Also Like

black lives matter

Celebs Making Major Moves in the Black Lives Matter Campaign

coming out pride month

Not That You Asked, But Here’s 7 Celebrities I’d Gladly Come Out To

top youtube channels

15 Top YouTube Channels Every College Student Needs to Subscribe to

minus gravity

Minus Gravity: New Music, Videos and Advice

Keeping up with Kim Kardashian

5 College Lessons That Students Should Learn from Donald Glover

maiara walsh

The Girl Has Skills: CM Interviews Switched At Birth’s Maiara Walsh

Nebraskan Native Just Living The Dream: CM Interviews Justified’s Abby Miller

The New Division band

CM Interviews The New Division’s John Kunkel

10 Reasons Why Beyonce Will Motivate You For Finals

CM Chats with Former Degrassi Actress Andrea Lewis

Keys to Success: 10 Times DJ Khaled Explained College Life

Shia Said, “Just Do It!” So Why Aren’t You?

How I Met My Writing Idols in College

Holley Maher: Music That Makes Us Euphoric

CM Interviews Atlas Genius

A New Brand of Indie: CM Interviews Birds of Chicago

Be Your Own Brand: CM Interviews Liz Goodgold

How to Win Friends and Influence People: CM Interviews Diane Beliveau

Thinking of Boston: CM Interviews Blue Man Group

Dwight Schrute’s Girlfriend: CM Interviews Nora Kirkpatrick

CM Interviews Augusten Burroughs: Author of Running with Scissors

Poetry Pride: Emerson’s Rachelle Martin on Why She Loves Slam Poetry

National Poetry Month: CM Interviews Poet, Activist Andrea Gibson

Previous Post: « Copenhagen 2012: Just Go With It
Next Post: CM’s Top 10 Colleges with the Hottest Guys hottest guys»

Primary Sidebar



Trending Posts

50

Stargazing in the Sand: My Trip to Terlingua, Texas

42

How My Childhood Bully Followed Me to College

Brass-colored 21 foil balloons inside a room.
8

10 Spots to Celebrate Your 21st Birthday Near UCLA

Featured Chapter: St. John’s University

Footer

logo

College Magazine is the national daily guide to campus life. Our articles for college students feature university rankings of U.S. colleges, college guides, academic advice, college prep, career advice, student health and collegiate dating tips.

Written by students for students, by a team of journalists from universities nationwide, we’re on the pulse of the college experience.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Colleges

  • College Guides
  • College Rankings
  • Campus life
  • Academics
  • Dating
  • Freshmen Year
  • Health
  • Party

Majors

  • All College Majors
  • Most Popular Majors
  • Choosing a Major

Intern

  • Internships Directory
  • How to Write a Resume
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • How to Interview
  • How to Get an Internship
  • How to Network

Money

  • How to Make Money
  • How to Save Money
  • How to Get a Job
  • Credit Cards 101
  • College Loans

Travel

  • Study Abroad
  • College Spring Break
  • How to Travel Cheap
  • Things to Do

Shop

  • College Packing List
  • Gift Guides
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

Copyright © 2021 College Magazine · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc.