The Insider.com

As emotional as The Hunger Games is for audiences, it's even more difficult for the characters -- in particular Prim Everdeen.

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That meant filming the action-drama was equally heart-wrenching for actress Willow Shields, who plays Prim. I chatted with the young star about life before, during and after The Hunger Games.

Insider.com: How did the audition process work -- did you audition for Prim and Prim alone, or for any of the younger characters?
Willow Shields: I only auditioned for Prim. I taped an audition and sent it to [director] Gary Ross. They called me to LA and right after I auditioned again, Gary called me to say that I got the part.

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Insider: What was the first thing you did after hearing?
Willow: I was actually traveling, so I had to sit in an airport for, like, four hours before my flight [laughs]. But after, my mom and I went out to dinner. It was amazing.

Insider: What's it been like to be a part of this film and the promotion?
Willow: It's been crazy. My life has totally changed. One week I was in school, hanging out with my friends and the next, I'm going to the LA premiere of one of the year's biggest movies. It's been a crazy experience.

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Insider: What did you think of the finished film when you saw it?
Willow: I thought it was amazing – perfectly put together. I thought the whole cast was so perfect for their characters. Everyone's so talented.

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Insider: Prim plays a much larger role in the subsequent books -- is there anything you're especially excited for?
Willow: I'm super excited for Mockingjay ... but we've got a while until we get there [laughs]. There isn't one scene in particular, but I can't wait to work more with Jennifer [Lawrence], Josh [Hutcherson] and Liam [Hemsworth] – they're so great.

The Hunger Games is now playing