Expecting to cover her eyes, Whitney Peak says Sunrise on the Reaping fans should bring tissues

A role with a devoted audience

Peak, 23, became known through the 2021 Gossip Girl reboot, where she played Zoya Lott. She later appeared in Hocus Pocus 2 and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Nonsense” video, and began a partnership with Chanel.

Now she is preparing for attention around her role as Lenore Dove Baird in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Peak does not consider herself a public figure and avoids reading comments, but fans have approached her in public, including groups of teenagers who followed her through airports.

Zegler offers support

Rachel Zegler, who played Lucy Gray Baird in the previous Hunger Games film, reached out to Peak. Fans have speculated that Lucy Gray is related to Lenore, and the two actresses compared their appearances in side-by-side pictures.

Peak said Zegler helped prepare her for the intensity of joining the franchise. “She didn’t want it to be scary,” Peak said, but wanted her to understand that the experience could be intense.

What Peak admires in Lenore

Peak said she and Lenore share a deep regard for loved ones and community. She admires Lenore’s willingness to speak up, trust her instincts and act when someone is in pain or being treated poorly.

Peak described herself as more inclined to think quietly, while Lenore takes up space. She said there are many ways she hopes to become more like the character.

Watching the finished film

Peak usually prefers to let a project go once it is finished, saying the work no longer belongs to her. She is making an exception for Sunrise on the Reaping because there is much she has not seen. She is excited to watch the movie, though she expects to cover her eyes when her scenes appear.