Article first published as Will Lenny Kravitz, as Cinna in Forthcoming Hunger Games Movie, Disappoint? on Technorati.

The Hollywood Reporter released that music man Lenny Kravitz will play the role of Cinna in movie adaptation of the popular young adult series, The Hunger Games. From Facebook to Twitter, fans are chiming in on how they feel, and it’s mostly not positive news to fans.

There is no way around it, I have to admit that I read the first book, and plan to read the final two of the trilogy. Like many readers, I simply like a good story. Even if the book, ahem, needs more than a little editing, I did like it. Let’s save that opinion for another post. In all, It matters not what shelf it comes from, be it young adult or adult literature. Nevertheless, why do we get so attached to the characters in books?

It’s simple really, we make them like us and put them in situations we want them to get out of. Jessica Hart, a romance writer, had this to say about creating engaging characters:

“…you need to make your characters engaging, so that the reader likes them and cares about whether or not they’re going to be happy.”

This is done by, giving them a flaw, giving them a “thing” to make them an individual, make them likable, and give them values. Again, we simply make them like us, our mind fills in the gaps of what they look like.

In an Entertainment Weekly interview with the author, Suzanne Collins, and movie director Gary Ross, both touched on how people have reacted to who they have cast for the movie.

Each bit of casting news has been met with a real roar from the fans. How are you both handling that? Did you expect such outrage?

SC: Any time you read a book and get attached to the characters, to me it’s always a shock when it goes from page to screen and it’s not exactly what was in my head or what I was imagining it should be. So there’s always that period of adjustment. But I think we feel so solid about our casting choices, and so thrilled that we’ve gotten these three young people in those roles, that nothing can really eclipse it.

GR: I really agree with Suzanne that it’s wonderful that people have such a vivid image of Katniss and Peeta and Gale and they hold it so dearly. But Suzanne and I have the advantage of having seen these guys audition for these roles, and I would never judge any role or any actor until I’ve seen them perform it.

SC: And you know people may get thrown, say, by the color of an actor’s hair or maybe something physical, but I tell you: If Josh had been bright purple and had had six foot wings and gave that audition, I’d have been like “Cast him! We can work around the wings.” He was that good. That role is so key to have a boy that can use language. That’s how Peeta navigates the world, that’s his gift, and Josh was the one who could bring that to life in such a real and natural way.

GR: I remember Suzanne was actually in the room the day Josh came in and read for the first time. After the reading, we looked at each other, we didn’t even have to say anything, because we both were like “Wow, that’s it.” Literally he walked out of the room and we high-fived.

When I surveyed the “Hunger Games” forum at Goodreads.com for opinions, there was not a shortage of people who had opinions about Lenny Kravitz being cast as Cinna:

Mairead – It wasn’t who I pictured, in even the remotest sense, but I’ve heard he was good in “Precious”, and I hope I’ll be pleasantly surprised. I guess I’ll just have to wait until he hits the silver screen to make up my mind on whether he shines as Cinna or not.

Jia – You know, it’s not how I imagined Cinna at all. But for some reason I’m not irritated like I was with Liam Hemsworth as Gale. I haven’t seen him act, but I know that Precious was a very good movie and that he was in it. He can act apparently, unlike the boyfriend of Cyrus. I don’t know, have I lowered my standards, or do I really not mind him that much? I was not the biggest fan of Jen as Katniss at first, but I really like her now. (Just wish she was a bit shorter.)

It’s clear when an author weaves a good story with great characters, as readers, we clearly build them in our minds. Often we are disappointed by how the movie turns out, often parts we liked are cut but mostly we just don’t relate to the actors as we did the characters.

As the author and director pointed out, sometimes the people cast are not exactly like the characters in the book but their demeanor is what strikes them as perfect. Fans need to keep in perspective the two mediums and how those who create them attempt to draw us in. On the other hand, the movie will never be as good as the book, I say.

*Photo  by jrdbnsn