Woody Harrelson On ‘Catching Fire’ Script, Director’s Vision, and the New Haymitch

MTV News recently caught up with Woody Harrelson at the Toronto International Film Festival, not to discuss his film “Seven Psychopaths” mind you, but his role as the Victors’ Village drunk Haymitch Abernathy.

Though he has not yet flown into Georgia for filming, Woody had plenty to say about “Catching Fire” and laid on some thick sarcasm when responding as to whether he had read the script yet.

“Yeah, I read the script,” Harrelson told MTV’s Josh Horowitz. “I took a gander at the script, sure. … It’s good that you get to do that before they start shooting.”

After properly mocking the thoughtless question, Harrelson said he was impressed with the finished product, given the short timetable the screenwriters had for penning it.

“I think that it’s a really good script, a really strong script, so I feel good about that. That’s the big question mark, since there was so little time to get that script together.”

Regarding his role in the movie, Woody said the director, Francis Lawrence, wanted to dig deeper into the inebriated mentor’s emotional psyche.

“Francis had asked me if I had studied PTSD — post-traumatic stress disorder — and I actually did in college. I was a psychology minor. So I met a guy who has PTSD in Maui,” Harrelson said. “You know, I like the way Francis is very thorough, very on top of everything. I really feel great. I loved Gary. I thought Gary did an incredible job with the first one, but I do think Francis is going to do great with this.”

You might recall that Gary Ross had a slightly more subdued visualization of Haymitch for the first movie. No vomiting, no passing out, and no fondling of Effie and tumbling off the stage. Woody said we just might get to see Haymitch at his finest this time.

“I talked with Francis about that,” admits Harrelson, laughing. “I’m going to try to go as far as possible. You know me. I’ll try to take it over the top.”

I have to admit, I’m excited to see some classic Haymitch antics, the absence of which in the first movie saddened me. PTSD would be interesting to get into as well.

What about you? Is there anything Haymitch-related you want to see in “Catching Fire?”

Check out the video below!

[Source: MTV News]