‘She understood the assignment’: Rachel Zegler speaks to the heart of every ‘Hunger Games’ fan with stunning red carpet ‘Mockingjay’ tribute

Rachel Zegler, the female lead of the upcoming Hunger Games prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, has proven to be a major fan of the original books and films time and time again, but her latest tribute to them is the best yet.

Any fan of The Hunger Games knows the world of Panem is all about statements. And there are few statements as memorable as the flame dresses Cinna created for Katniss. So, when Zegler stepped out of her car and onto the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes‘ world premiere red carpet wearing her own version of Cinna’s iconic creation, the fandom was gagged.

While some were under the impression the dress was custom-made to resemble Katniss’ showstopping fashion moment, it was actually a great find by the actress’s stylist, Sarah Slutsky, from Alexander McQueen’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection by Sarah Burton. An opportunity too great to pass up on.

But the homage and referencing don’t stop there. Zegler, who seems to be genuinely delighted to be a part of such a massive franchise, also paid tribute to her character Lucy Gray with a snake ring and her signature hoop earrings. “[She] understood the assignment once again,” a fan tweeted.

Other fans, supported by the emojis on Slutsky’s Instagram post caption, seem to think the dress is a reference to Snow’s emblematic roses, which he not only gifts Lucy Gray in the prequel but also uses to threaten and haunt Katniss in the original books.

For me the dress also represents a rose 🌹

— Alice (@aliceahee) November 5, 2023

This is not the first time Zegler proved to be a Hunger Games connoisseur and Katniss Everdeen enthusiast (as we should all be). The Golden Globe-winning actress famously improvised Lucy Gray’s deep curtsy at the end of her singing performance at the reaping ceremony as seen in the film’s trailer. It references yet another culture-shifting scene from the OG films when Katniss bows at the end of a showcase after shooting an arrow at the Gamemakers’ table.

Early reviews for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes spell another win for a franchise that has aged like fine wine. Following the origins of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) and the 10th annual Hunger Games, the movie comes out Nov. 17.