The prequel to the popular "Hunger Games" franchise has made a major casting announcement and it turns out a Jersey native has made the cast list.

Rachel Zegler, born in Hackensack and raised in Clifton, New Jersey, will play the main character of Lucy Gray Baird in “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," Suzanne Collins' prequel to her original trilogy.

For anyone who has forgotten the massive franchise, "The Hunger Games" is about a dystopian North America where there is an annual televised event where 24 young adults fight to the death until there is one "tribute" left standing.

The prequel follows a young (not yet President) Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland's character in the movies) as he falls for one of the tributes (Baird) from District 12 while he mentors her in the 10th Hunger Games.

Young Snow will be portrayed by actor Tom Blyth from "The Gilded Age."

It's been a crazy few years for young Zegler! She made her film debut as Maria Vasquez in Steven Speilberg's reboot of West Side Story. Her heartbreaking performance earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.

She's also set to be in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" (2022), and she'll star as Snow White in the upcoming live-action film adaptation of the Disney classic. Gal Gadot will costar as the Evil Queen.

"The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is scheduled to hit theaters in November of 2023.

May the odds be ever in Rachel Zegler's favor!

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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