Ask Anna Florez what it's like to be Hollywood's "It" girl and she'll look at you like you're crazy. "I don't even know what that title means," she tells me, "but I'm not it. People like to throw words around and everyone's hyped as the next big thing. It usually doesn't mean much." While most actresses in her situation would do everything possible to reap the benefits of their success, Florez has chosen her post-Hunger Games films carefully, citing a fear of overexposure. "There's a really fine line between success and making people sick of your face. Sometimes I think I'm being too cautious, but then we start another round of press for the next Hunger Games film and I realize why I've made the decisions I have."
Florez is far from a typical Hollywood starlet. More likely to be found at home than out partying, she's never claimed to shun the celebrity lifestyle but finds most aspects of it to be unappealing. She likes public appearances where she can meet fans or answer questions about acting, but talk shows are a source of perpetual fear. "I never have anything interesting to say. I always try to think up some kind of funny story, but I can never think of anything and then I panic. Bizarre things happen to me all the time, but when I'm being interviewed it all flies out of my head and I end up telling some story about making a green smoothie and how delicious they are."
She always dreamed of acting and used to beg her parents to take her to auditions as a child. "I wanted to be in commercials like the kids I saw on TV." Her parents didn't share her views and encouraged her to focus on school instead. It wasn't unti Florez was in her last year of high school that things began to change. A temporary relocation to Los Angeles turned into a few small roles here and there, but it wasn't until 2010's Winter's Bone that Florez's career was really launched. "Being nominated for an Academy Award was unbelievable. I never expected anything like that to happen, and definitely not when I was first starting out."
But it was The Hunger Games that really made Florez a household name and even after two years she still finds the fame overwhelming sometimes. She dislikes having security but is rarely seen out on her own, finding crowds of fans easier to deal with when she's with friends. Although she's grateful for the opportunities success has brought her, the lifestyle change that has come with fame is more than she imagined. "I don't know what I expected to happen. It's hard to talk about the down sides without sounding like you're complaining, but I think it's okay to be frustrated by certain things and still know how lucky you are. Is it frustrating that I can't go to the supermarket without being stopped by someone and I know it's going to take me half an hour and tomorrow there'll probably be a tabloid with a detailed list of the contents of my shopping cart? Yes. I don't think anyone would choose to live like that. But on the other hand, I know what it's like to be a fan and I never thought I'd be an inspiration to anyone."
With promotion for Mockingjay well underway, Florez is dealing with even more attention than usual - something she's become increasingly used to. "It's always fun because I basically just get to hang out with all my favorite people for a few weeks. I know everyone always talks about how close they are, but after working together so long everyone really has become my best friends." Florez has no regrets about her time as Katniss Everdeen. "I never pictured myself as Katniss when I read the books, but I don't think I've ever fought so hard for a role before. She's so strong and capable, but she's very human. All she wants to do is keep the people she loves safe. She doesn't want to lead a revolution, but she'll fight when she has to and she doesn't back down. I love her because she's no pushover, but she's also not really the leader people make her out to be, or at least not at first. It's that journey that we see her take and as an actress it was a lot of fun to explore."
Right now, Florez isn't really looking too far into the future. She has a few upcoming projects including next year's musical offering La La Land. "I really want to keep trying new things and taking on projects that excite me, but I have faith those things will come. I don't want to miss everything happening right now because I'm focusing too much on the future. Who knows, maybe I'll even take a break!"
