Alan Ritchson has explained why his character's death in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire left him looking "like an idiot".
The Reacher star portrayed Gloss in the 2013 sequel, a District 1 citizen and former Hunger Games victor who was reaped to compete in the Third Quarter Quell alongside his sister, Cashmere (Stephanie Leigh Schlund).
Gloss was killed after Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) shot him in the chest with an arrow, though Ritchson has now revealed that he was initially supposed to be shot in the face, which is how he played the scene.
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"I took an arrow to the face. So, I played it like it was to the face," he shared during a new interview with WIRED.
"And then, I think they decided in post that was a little too gruesome to take an arrow to the face by Katniss, so they changed it to my chest.
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"But, I didn't shoot it that way. I didn't shoot it like I was taking a shot to the chest. My head snapped back like an idiot, and the thing went in my chest, and I'm like this. Who does that? I wouldn't have died like that."
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Based on Suzanne Collins' book series, the Hunger Games movie franchise kicked off with The Hunger Games in 2012, followed by sequels Catching Fire in 2013, Mockingjay: Part 1 in 2014 and Mockingjay: Part 2 in 2015.
A prequel movie titled The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was released in 2023, following the story of a young Coriolanus Snow.
A second prequel movie titled Sunrise on the Reaping is also on the way, which will be led by a young Haymitch Abernathy as he is reaped for the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Sunrise on the Reaping will arrive in cinemas on November 20, 2026.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
