Viola Davis has been cast as Dr. Gaul in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes'

The rumors were swirling for months and now it’s finally official. Viola Davis has been cast as the evil Dr. Gaul in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes!

Dr. Volumnia Gaul is the Head Gamemaker for the 10th Hunger Games, University Professor, leads classes for the 24 Hunger Games mentors at the Academy, and heads the science lab that produces muttations. She also loves animal cruelty and torture, so a real fun gal! She ends up being a huge influence on the young Coriolanus Snow, setting his course for the future. 

What happened in the arena? That’s humanity undressed. The tributes. And you, too. How quickly civilization disappears. All your fine manners, education, family background, everything you pride yourself on, stripped away in the blink of an eye, revealing everything you actually are. A boy with a club who beats another boy to death. That’s mankind in its natural state. . . .

- Dr. Volumnia Gaul

“The Hunger Games films have always been elevated by their exceptional casting, and we are thrilled to be continuing that tradition with Viola Davis as Volumnia Gaul,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group President, Nathan Kahane. “Her formidable and powerful presence will add layers of complexity and menace to this story.”

“Dr. Gaul is as cruel as she is creative and as fearsome as she is formidable,” said Lawrence. “Snow’s savvy as a political operator develops in no small part due to his experiences with her as the games’ most commanding figure.”

“From the beginning, Viola has been our dream for Dr. Gaul because of the finely layered intelligence and emotion she brings to every role,” added Jacobson. “A brilliant and eccentric strategist, Gaul is instrumental in shaping a young Coriolanus Snow into the man he will become. We are incredibly fortunate to have an actor with Viola’s extraordinary range and presence to play this pivotal role.”

Davis is a multi award-winning actress, known for, among many other things, The Help, Doubt, and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom  - which all earned her Oscar nominations, and Fences in which she won her first Oscar in 2017 for her role opposite Denzel Washington. She’s also won 2 Tonys, an Emmy, multiple SAG Awards, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA! Next up she’s starring in Sony’s historical epic The Woman King, which she also produced. What a powerhouse! She seems like the perfect choice to bring all kinds of interesting layers to this twisted character. I can’t wait to see what she does with the role.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes debuts in theaters on Nov. 17, 2023.