Maya Hawke praises Jennifer Lawrence ahead of 'Hunger Games' prequel debut

Maya Hawke is calling her casting in the Hunger Games franchise a full-circle moment after revealing that Jennifer Lawrence's performance as Katniss Everdeen inspired her to pursue acting.

The Stranger Things star will portray a younger version of Wiress in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the upcoming prequel based on Suzanne Collins' bestselling novels.

Reflecting on the opportunity, Hawke told PEOPLE that the original Hunger Games film played a major role in shaping her career ambitions.

"I credit the original Hunger Games movie a lot with inspiring me to want to be an actor, honestly," she said.

The 28-year-old actress praised Lawrence's portrayal of Katniss Everdeen, describing it as a remarkable performance that stood out despite the scale of the blockbuster franchise.

"It's so hard to give a good performance in a big action movie, because so many pieces in the machine are usually working against the capacity to give a good performance," Hawke explained.

"In those movies, she gave a performance so singularly excellent and weird, and she painted a true individual that was not at all neutralised by the genre."

For Hawke, joining the franchise years later makes the experience especially meaningful.

Although she described her role as relatively small, the actress said she is thrilled to be part of the beloved series.

"My part is very small, but I'm excited. I love my character. I am so excited to get to see the movie and to be a fan," she said.

"I hope I'm not the outcast who didn't get it."

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping marks the second prequel in the blockbuster franchise following The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters on Nov. 20.