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Actor-producer Dakota Shapiro has quickly made a name for himself in the industry with his dynamic and transformative performances in projects, including The Affair, Valley of the Boom, and R#J. This November, he stars in one of the most anticipated films of the year, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, as Billy Taupe, a member of the covey.

Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, eighteen-years-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol.

With the tenth annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girls tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony. Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Dakota about The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, how the film came to him at a pivotal time in his career, and more.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling?
Dakota: My family always watched movies together. It really started there. It’s something that I fell in love with. I developed an appreciation for plays later in my life. But it started with movies, and it’s something that I knew I wanted to be involved in.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Dakota: That’s a hard question. There have been so many people in my life who have had an influence on me, from my acting teachers to my parents, even artists that I’ve never met. Just seeing their work meant a lot to me growing up. It’s too hard to choose one, but I definitely feel very grateful to all the acting teachers that I’ve had. Also, the people whose work I admire. That’s always been my North Star.

PC: You’re one of the stars of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and you were a fan of the novels as well as the films. What was your reaction when you landed the role? What does it mean to you to be a part of a franchise like this so early on in your career?
Dakota: It was so exciting. This project came to me during a time when I wasn’t working as much, so it felt so validating to book this role. It’s something that my friends and I read when we were growing up. My sister and mom love it. It was cool to be a part of a universe that so many people in my life care about. It felt great.

PC: Billy isn’t the most likable of characters. What is your creative process like when you’re playing someone who’s so different from you? Is that more or less challenging?
Dakota: How do you know I’m different? [laughs] Just kidding. It’s a little easier to play someone who’s further away from yourself. When I’m playing somebody that’s so similar to myself, I find that so much more challenging. There were definitely things that I could relate to Billy, but we are different.

You have to put yourself into the shoes of someone who’s starving and has no opportunities. He’s trying to do whatever he can to survive. I can imagine what that’s like. It’s about finding things to relate to and understanding where they’re coming from.

PC: When you’re bringing a character to life who has lived in another medium, what’s something that you wanted to make sure was translated from page to screen?
Dakota: That’s a great question. When I read the book, Billy seemed like someone who was a little wild and crazy. That’s something that I really wanted to hone in on. He’s almost like a beast in the cage.

PC: You had the opportunity to watch the film. Is there a scene in particular that you’re excited for audiences to see?
Dakota: I’m excited for the first scene where I’m in the tavern and I’m disrupting Lucy’s thoughts and ultimately what happens to my character.

PC: This is one of your biggest roles to date. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What was the biggest takeaway?
Dakota: Honestly, I was surprised by the scale of the set and how many people were involved. I was expecting it to feel a lot more chaotic. I actually asked Francis [Lawrence] how he’s able to keep the whole atmosphere so relaxed and professional. He said it was about being super organized and knowing all the details so that you can take the reins. That’s something I’m going to look to emulate in the future.

PC: What’s next for you?
Dakota: I’ve got a movie called The Lemurian Candidate. It’s a buddy comedy with a lot of heart. The costumes are fantastic. I think people are going to enjoy it.

PC: Having worked on an indie now as well as a bigger-budget film, what are some of the similarities/differences?
Dakota: What was so cool about both experiences is that both of our directors trusted us. Casey [Cooper Johnson] (our writer-director on The Lemurian Candidate) gave us a lot of creative license to improvise. We were able to bring up a lot of ideas. Francis was also super open to ideas as well. I really enjoyed both experiences.

PC: This is such an exciting time in your career. As you look ahead, is there a dream role or story that you’d like to bring to life?
Dakota: There’s so much that I’d love to do. I’d love to create my own content. I’ve always wanted to make an animated series. That’s something that I’m looking forward to doing in the future. I just want to keep working with people that I’ve admired for so long and see how they work. I’m so excited to continue to work with these great artists.

To keep up with Dakota, follow him on Instagram. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is in theaters now.

Photo Credit: Bettina Niedermann