Elizabeth Banks Reveals Effie Trinket's Journey in 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' Movie

Elizabeth Banks portrays the colorful, bubbly Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, just as she did in the first film. Her character served the purpose of getting Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) ready for the games in the first movie, but she will mature emotionally in the sequel.

Banks told Screen Rant in a recent interview that Effie finally starts to open her eyes to the world around her when Katniss and Peeta get called back into the arena:

"Her façade breaks a little bit in this movie. We see a little more emotional side of her. Was it fun to commit to get into that and see the character evolve that way?

Absolutely. Yes. You know, I think Effie's maternal instinct has been turned on in this film. Again, because she's never had a victor, she's never had the opportunity to get to know her victors in this way and I think she really is proud of them and she expects, like everyone does, that they will go on to lead a life of fame and security. And so when the quarter quell is announced, it's the first time that Effie realizes not only how unfair the games are but how cruel the capital is and to what lengths they will go to maintain their power."

Effie exhibits some more complex emotions in the books, so it's good to know that the movies will treat her with the appropriate weight and not just use her as a one-dimensional character.

Screen Rant also asked about Effie's role in the final two films, Mockingjay, but Banks would only say that "Effie's eyes are truly being opened to her situation. I think she's becoming much more sympathetic to the rebels and the districts."