The Hunger Games franchise has been a beloved part of pop culture for decades now, starting with Suzanne Collins' novels and then becoming a wildly popular movie property. Luckily for fans, we're close to the next book-to-screen adaptation coming with Francis Lawrence's Sunrise on the Reaping. Actor Joseph Zada plays a young Haymitch Abernathy, and spoke to CinemaBlend about on word he said over and over again while trying to nail this dialect.What we know about Sunrise on the Reaping all depends on whether you read the book, and know about the brutal deaths that will come with the blockbuster. As you can see in the video above, I asked Zada about becoming Haymitch, specifically his impressive dialect work. He told me: I didn't get to work with him, but I just didn't want to bother him. I'm sure he would've helped out, but I had so much. I had his original EPKs from the films. I had all of the films. I had all of his work when he was younger. And then I had the freedom to create a character that is so starkly different to his original portrayal of Haymitch. Because to me, that's more interesting to see a character in a completely different space.Points were made here. While Zada didn't work directly with Woody Harrelson, the OG Haymitch has a legacy of work to study. That includes his work in the previous Hunger Games movies, as well as his long and storied career on TV and film. The Sunrise on the Reaping trailer showed off the fruits of the actor's labor, but seeing the full movie is another experience. I was honestly floored during moments of my press screening at how much he sounded like the Cheers icon. In our conversation about his transformation, I asked Joseph Zada if he had any specific phrases he'd use to find Haymitch's accent. This is a common practice with dialect coaches, serving as an entry point to wrap one's mouth around an accent. The We Were Liars actor shared his: 'Embrace the probability of your imminent death and know in your heart that there's nothing I can do to save you.' This is one of Haymitch's most iconic lines, uttered early in the first Hunger Games novel and its corresponding movie. In his first scene Woody Harrelson's character says this talking to Katniss and Peeta, decades into preparing the District 12 tributes for their death in the titular Games. Now we see the origin of his trauma in the new prequel. (Image credit: Lionsgate)During our chat, Zada also recalled one word that he repeated over and over again to himself. It's one that Haymitch uses a number of times throughout the original trilogy, as he told me: And also sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart, you know. Sweetheart. Over and over again. I had to get that right. That was the only thing that I was like, 'The fans, this is how I get crucified if I don't get this right.'This pressure makes a great deal of sense, as sweetheart is essentially Haymitch's catchphrase. Its his sarcastic nickname for Katniss throughout the first three movies, and we see its origin in Sunrise on the Reaping. He calls fellow District 12 tribute Louella McCoy sweetheart early, solidifying their bond ahead of going into the Quarter Quell.The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters on November 20th as part of the 2026 TV schedule. I have to admit he's not the only newcomer who's expertly channeling a younger version of a beloved character. I'm looking at you, Kelvin Harrison Jr., who sounds EXACTLY like Jeffrey Wright.