McKenna Grace has officially joined the cast of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping as Maysilee Donner, one of District 12’s female tributes in the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
This role marks a return to big-screen action for Grace, who brings her experience in high-stakes drama to the dystopian world of Panem. Here is all you need to know about her character and more.
Who is McKenna Grace’s Maysilee Donner in The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping?
McKenna Grace’s Maysilee Donner is a pivotal character in Sunrise on the Reaping. In Suzanne Collins’s prequel novel, she is one of the tributes chosen from District 12 alongside a young Haymitch Abernathy. She comes from the wealthier class of District 12, which puts her in contrast with others, while also making her reap a surprise since wealthy children were rarely chosen.
Importantly, Maysilee Donner is known in The Hunger Games lore as the original owner of the Mockingjay pin, a symbolic object that later becomes deeply tied to Katniss Everdeen. She also has a twin sister, Merrilee Donner, though early casting announcements focus only on Maysilee.
Throughout the story of Sunrise on the Reaping, Maysilee evolves from a seemingly privileged young tribute to one of Haymitch’s most trusted allies during the deadly Games. She is known for her blunt yet sharp personality, who loves to express herself through necklaces and other knick-knacks.
Pretty resourceful and smart, she is also a complex and emotionally rich character, far more than just a tribute, but as a figure of strength, loyalty, and sacrifice.
What is The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping About?
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is a film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s new prequel novel, set 24 years before the events of the original trilogy. The story centers on Joseph Zada’s 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy (portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the original trilogy), living in District 12, struggling to support his family while navigating his relationship with his girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird (via Entertainment Weekly).
The plot escalates when Haymitch is unexpectedly reaped into the 50th Hunger Games, an especially brutal edition due to it being the Second Quarter Quell (via PEOPLE). This marks the bloodiest games in Panem’s history, as twice as many tributes were drawn from every district, in order to teach the rebels a lesson.
Alongside him, tributes like Maysilee Donner, Wyatt Callow, and Louella McCoy must fight not only for survival but also amid political tensions and personal alliances that will define their futures.
Directed by Francis Lawrence (who helmed previous Hunger Games films) with a screenplay by Billy Ray, the film also stars Ralph Fiennes, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Jesse Plemons, Maya Hawke, Billy Porter, and more.
Promising to dig deeper into the formative events that shaped Haymitch into Katniss Everdeen’s cynical mentor, whom we later meet, the film finally gives the fan-favorite character the backstory he deserves.
What are your thoughts about the upcoming film and McKenna Grace’s casting? Let us know in the comments below.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be in theaters from November 20, 2026.
