Meet the rising star who plays a vital role in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
The latest chapter in the Hunger Games franchise arrives in UK cinemas this week – taking fans back in time to 64 years before the events of the first film.
That means that most of the characters in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will be unfamiliar to viewers who have watched the original movies – and one such character is Sejanus Plinth.
The vital role is taken on by young actor Josh Andrés Rivera, a rising star who already has a couple of impressive credits to his name – including a small role in a previous Best Picture nominee.
So who is Sejanus Plinth actor Josh Andrés Rivera? Read on for everything you need to know.
Who is Josh Andrés Rivera?
Rivera is an actor who plays a key role as Sejanus Plinth in the new Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
Sejanus is a classmate of future villain and Panem President Coriolanus Snow, and is one of many students chosen to mentor one of the tributes in the 10th Hunger Games.
He is originally from District 2 but now lives in the Capitol, and is a very morally principled young man who does not agree with the Capitol’s way of running things.
How old is Josh Andrés Rivera?
Rivera was born on 1st May 1995 and is currently 28 years old.
What nationality is Josh Andrés Rivera?
Like most of his co-stars in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Rivera is American.
He was born in California, while his parents are both from Puerto Rico.
What has Josh Andrés Rivera previously starred in?
Rivera previously starred alongside his Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes co-star Rachel Zegler – with whom he is currently in a relationship – in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of West Side Story, playing the role of Chino.
He also had a role in the recently released film Cat Person, while his next project will be the anthology series American Sports Story, in which he will play former NFL player and convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez.
Meanwhile, he was also part of the touring company for the first national tour of Hamilton.
What has Josh Andrés Rivera said about The Hunger Games?
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of the new film’s release, Rivera revealed what it was that appealed to him about playing Sejanus Plinth.
“Something that really drew me to him is he has such strong convictions,” he said. “He’s very passionate about what he believes in.
“I mean, you could say, objectively, to his detriment. But something that I really loved about him is just the trust that he put in people – he really wanted to believe that people could be good.
“And that carries out throughout the entire movie; he has this belief in his heart that does not fail, he believes that Coryo can be good and The Capitol could be good – if they could only just see things through his eyes, they would know that the Hunger Games are despicable.”
Meanwhile, he also explained that the original Hunger Games novel had been the first book he had read that he “couldn’t put down”.
Is Josh Andrés Rivera on Instagram?
Yes – you can find his account at the handle @joshandresrivera.
At the time of writing, he has more than 40,000 followers, and we’re sure that will continue to rise in the weeks and months after the film’s release.
Is Josh Andrés Rivera on Twitter/X?
Yes, his Twitter/X account is @joshandresrivera, where he currently has just over 2,500 followers – although he has not posted in over a year.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is released on 17th November 2023. Check out more of our Film and Sci-Fi coverage, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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