The Hunger Games Inspired Sam Claflin To Prove His Critics Wrong

In the same interview, Sam Claflin added that he himself didn't expect to get the role of Finnick Odair before he was cast.

Claflin noted that he was one of the first people to audition for the role, but was far from the only one, as the role itself was highly coveted. He said that he stepped out of his first audition to see another unnamed performer who looked like "the perfect man." As soon as he spotted this person in the waiting room, Claflin was sure he'd never get the role.

When he did get the role, however, he read the books and noticed that author Suzanne Collins had written at length about Finnick's absurdly handsome looks, which made Claflin question once again why he'd been cast. However, in analyzing the character as he'd been written, Claflin said that he understood something about Finnick that he hadn't heard much about.

"So many people read the books and take away the fact that he's an arrogant guy," Claflin said, adding that he saw beyond that, seeing Finnick's pain underneath his "charming, confident exterior." The trauma from the deaths of people he'd loved was clearly weighing on Finnick, making him an "insecure, lost soul." Claflin tapped into this for his portrayal of Finnick in the films, ultimately sweeping fans off their feet.