The News Courier
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“The Hunger Games,” which was released Friday and had a $155 million opening weekend at the box office, bears the fingerprints of two alumni and a current student of UNA.
The movie soundtrack’s lead single, Taylor Swift’s “Safe & Sound,” features The Civil Wars, the popular Grammy-winning music duo with 2001 UNA alumnus John Paul White. The Civil Wars’ single “Kingdom Come” is also featured in the film.
Earlier this year, the group received the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Folk Album for “Barton Hollow.”
Find more informaiton on the duo at thecivilwars.com.
Food stylist and 1978 UNA alumnus Jack White and his assistant, James Perini, a UNA senior, were behind the on-screen food, which plays a pivotal role in the film.
White and Perini will discuss their work on “The Hunger Games” at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. No reservations are required, but seating will be limited.
White, a native of Pulaski, Tenn., has created on-camera food for more than 75 major motion pictures and television shows since 1992.
Perini called the food styling for the film a group effort, referring to his and White’s collaboration with the set designer, prop master and others to “make it all come together. It’s a giant group effort, and everybody is trying to make this one scene look how it needs to look and how the director wants it to look.”
Perini, of Sylacauga, is majoring in human environmental sciences with a concentration in culinary arts.
“When I go see the movie,” he said, “seeing all that stuff we did blown up and on the big screen, it’s going to be really cool.”
After graduation from UNA in 1978, White worked in Nashville as a tour guide at the Grand Ole Opry and in hotel sales before moving to New York City to pursue acting. He appeared in “The Guiding Light” before moving to California to become a caterer. He continues to act, and was most recently seen in 2010's “Iron Man 2” as "Jack," the right-hand man for Sam Rockwell's character, as well as served as food stylist for the movie.
White, a native of Pulaski, Tenn., and graduate of UNA, has created on-camera food for more than 75 major motion pictures and television shows since 1992.
For more information, visit www.jackwhitefoodstylist.com
The film, “The Hunger Games,”is based on the first book of a trilogy by author Suzanne Collins. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Liam Hemsworth and Elizabeth Banks.
