Subscribe
Follow Us
The upcoming Hunger Games prequel will give us Viola Davis in style as Volumnia Gaul in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. With a wardrobe inspired by Willy Wonka.
Davis' Volumnia Gaul character is a ruthless Gamemaker responsible for engineering experiments. All to make the annual Hunger Games more brutal in Panem. Although Dr. Gaul may appear to be a villain, Director Francis Lawrence emphasizes that she genuinely believes in her actions as the right one.
He also revealed that he drew inspiration for Davis's character from Gene Wilder's iconic candy-maker in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” He described the character as having “wild, kind of quirky creativity and joy in creativity.” But with a sinister undertone, a concept that Viola Davis grasped immediately.
Costume designer, Trish Summerville aimed for a “Willy Wonka mad scientist, Dr. Frankenstein kind of vibe” in creating The Hunger Games' Viola Davis's look. She combined whimsy with a devious edge, exuding both warmth and terror. Summerville also emphasized that Davis's costumes had to be distinctive. And using a vibrant color palette ensured she always stood out.
While hair designer Nikki Gooley drew inspiration from the 1940s, crafting a striking silver-gray afro that complemented the character's eccentricity.
But in this Hunger Games prequel, Viola Davis's transformation extended to makeup. She will also portray her character's weathered past, replete with scars and disfigurements from dangerous lab experiments. Davis also requested one eye with a “hazy” dark brown color. Then, the makeup and prosthetics teams added aging effects and facial scars to complete her look.
The film, set more than 60 years before the events of the original Hunger Games, presents a society with a more conservative and regimented demeanor. The movie required thousands of costumes, from individual designs for main characters to uniforms for the Academy and Peacekeepers.
Viola Davis's remarkable performance in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes promises to be a standout element in the film. And we'll see it on the big screen on November 17.
