Whitney Peak felt 'way in over my head' joining 'The Hunger Games' franchise

Whitney Peak discusses pressure of joining 'The Hunger Games' alongside co-stars Maya Hawke and Mckenna Grace

Whitney Peak has opened up about the pressure of joining The Hunger Games franchise, admitting she initially felt overwhelmed by the responsibility of playing a character important to its established story.

The actor features alongside co-stars Maya Hawke and Mckenna Grace on separate digital covers for Cosmopolitan's Winter Issues. The three are preparing to appear in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which arrives in cinemas on November 20.

Peak, who portrays Lenore Dove Baird in the upcoming film, told the magazine that joining a franchise with such a devoted following was an intimidating experience.

"I was really freaked out….I don't mean to be self-effacing or self-deprecating," she admitted. "I'm just being completely honest that I felt way in over my head with this. When something just feels so much larger than anything you could have conceived and it's something people love, with a character who is really important to the story, and it's just little old me doing all of that…I had to not think about it and just do it."

She also offered a brief hint about the film's emotional impact, telling audiences: "Bring a box of tissues."

Mckenna Grace, who plays Maysilee Donner, also discussed her connection to the franchise. The actor revealed that she was a fan of the films before joining the cast and had even created fan edits.

She jokingly described herself as a "CapCut warrior" after her previous Team Peeta edit, featuring Josh Hutcherson's character, came to light.

Meanwhile, Maya Hawke, who portrays Wiress, said having fellow actors share the experience helped make the pressure more manageable.

"We are all in it together and will sink or swim as a team," she told Cosmopolitan.