Years before Hailee Steinfeld became known for her powerful performances in True Grit, Dickinson, and Marvel’s Hawkeye, she was just another young actress fighting for her breakthrough — and one of the roles she nearly landed could’ve changed everything.
In a recent interview, Steinfeld opened up about missing out on the lead role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, a part that ultimately went to Jennifer Lawrence and catapulted her into global stardom.
“I truly believe everything happens for a reason,” Hailee shared. “There are so many parts that I wanted or didn’t get…”
At just 14 years old at the time, Steinfeld had already received an Oscar nomination for her performance in True Grit, and many believed she was a top contender for Katniss. But the role slipped through her fingers — a tough pill to swallow for any young actress, let alone one riding the momentum of critical acclaim.
Still, rather than dwell on what might have been, Steinfeld chose a path of perspective and gratitude.
“But I think, weirdly,” she continued, “it’s the same feeling of having missed every high school dance and prom, and yet I somehow found my way to the Met Gala. I feel like I’ve made up for it.”
That one quote seems to encapsulate Hailee’s journey perfectly — a life that didn’t follow the usual script, but ended up writing something extraordinary anyway. She may have lost out on The Hunger Games, but she’s since carved out a career defined not by what she didn’t get, but by what she did.
From her genre-spanning music career to starring in fan-favorite roles across both indie and blockbuster projects, Steinfeld has proven that success doesn’t come from one opportunity, but from persistence, growth, and knowing your worth.
And now, looking back, it seems she wouldn’t change a thing.