Ever since Jennifer moved in, Cassius's days had settled into a very steady rhythm.
He usually woke up to the sound of her ancient alarm clock blasting rock music.
The woman had insane energy.
No matter how late they crashed the night before, she'd bounce out of bed the next morning like she'd had twelve hours of perfect sleep.
As the old saying went: there are only tired bulls, never fields that get plowed to ruin.
Cassius was living proof right now.
Even with his Body Language at Level 5, he could only call it an even fight.
All he could do was look forward to the next level-up.
The reshoots wrapped up fast.
After that it was all voice dubbing and VFX.
As a newer actress, Jennifer had to go through full media training and PR boot camp.
Her manager had her in sessions for media response drills, red-carpet etiquette, interview scripting, and social-media rules.
Every single day she came home complaining about the same thing: "You can't say that… you definitely can't say that!"
Cassius asked Rob out of curiosity whether he had any similar training lined up.
Rob paused, then let out an exasperated laugh. "Bro, you still don't have a clear picture of yourself, do you?"
Cassius: "???"
Rob started counting on his fingers. "Since we started working together, name one time you didn't handle a viral moment perfectly."
He listed every major trending topic Cassius had been through in the past year.
The more he talked, the more worked up he got. "Every time something blows up, I haven't even called the PR team yet and you've already quietly fixed it!"
"Sometimes I feel like the 8% commission I take from you is almost too much."
"Media training? I should be sending other actors to you for training. Just keep doing what you're doing. As long as you don't actually grab a bow and shoot a reporter, we're golden."
Cassius listened to Rob's half-serious rant and could only smile helplessly.
But when he thought about it, Rob wasn't wrong.
The knowledge from his previous life plus the attribute panel had given him a calm, calculated way of handling the media and public that went way beyond his age and experience.
He knew exactly where the line was and how to stay on the right side of it while maximizing his image and interests.
Post-production on The Hunger Games was nearly finished, and the marketing team began rolling out material on schedule.
First came atmospheric character silhouettes, then concept posters that didn't spoil major plot points.
After an internal screening for theater owners, the first official posters and stills started hitting entertainment magazines and websites.
Book fan forums exploded with new threads.
[Hot Thread] Holy shit! The Hunger Games wrapped filming and Peeta is played by Cassius from Green Lantern! Pics inside!
The OP posted the official posters.
One was Cassius as Peeta in the dark tribute uniform.
Another was the paired poster of him and Jennifer standing back-to-back, ready for battle.
1L (OP): As the title says! Scanned from the new Entertainment Weekly! It really is him! I saw some set leaks before but didn't believe it!
2L: I have mixed feelings… Peeta is supposed to be blond with blue eyes in the books. This casting…
3L: Him again? Warner letting him play Green Lantern was already wild. Now Lionsgate too? Has Hollywood lost its mind?
4L: I remember that leak thread where someone said, "If Cassius plays Peeta I'll eat my keyboard live!" (link)
5L: @KeyboardEater, bro, what brand is the keyboard? Any good?
Similar debates started heating up online.
Some people directly @'d Lionsgate and Cassius to voice their complaints.
Others shared the posters and expressed excitement.
Most were just there for the drama.
Cassius scrolled through the forums and Twitter comments with zero emotional reaction.
After surviving the "Is it a joke for an Asian guy to play a superhero?" storm during Green Lantern, this level of backlash felt like a light drizzle.
The account that swore to "eat their keyboard live" had already quietly deleted the post.
The internet never changes. The cycle of getting face-slapped and slapping back never ends.
Jennifer leaned over to look at his screen and scoffed. "See? They're dragging me too. Saying I'm too built, not fragile enough, can't capture Katniss's delicate vibe!"
"Fuck 'em. When the movie comes out, we'll let the acting do the talking."
She seemed to have made peace with it after a few days of being roasted.
"You're right," Cassius said, closing his laptop. "But before that, you still have to learn how to talk the way they want."
He pointed at the stack of media training materials on the table.
Jennifer rolled her eyes dramatically and chucked a pillow at him. "Shut up!"
The online storm didn't calm down just because Cassius and Jennifer stayed chill.
If anything, it kept growing.
As The Hunger Games continued releasing promotional material, the controversy that started in book forums and niche Twitter circles quickly spread to mainstream media.
The first big explosion was the backlash against Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss.
#JenniferLawrenceIsTooOldForKatniss
The topic shot up the trending charts.
Clicking in, it was full of book fans making their case: "Katniss is only 16 in the book! A starving, fragile girl fighting for survival! Jennifer is 21! Where's the youthful innocence?"
"She looks like she could punch a wild boar to death, not run from one!"
"I'm not trying to be mean, but compare her in Winter's Bone to these posters…"
"Even with Hollywood lighting and makeup, she looks too mature!"
"I want a hungry girl, not a healthy Amazon warrior!"
"She's blonde! Fair-skinned! My God, Susan Collins wrote Katniss with dark hair, olive skin, and a body like a reed!"
"Was this casting done with their eyes closed? Just because she got some buzz in indie films?"
Soon after, #NotMyKatniss also started trending too.
It gave Cassius serious déjà vu from the #NotMyGreenLantern days.
A lot of self-proclaimed die-hard book fans posted their "dream" casting choices—mostly photos of young models or lesser-known actresses.
The side-by-side comparisons with the official posters were savage.
Entertainment media jumped on the easy clicks.
Entertainment Weekly ran an article titled: [Age and Image Mismatch: The Risky Casting of The Hunger Games]
It laid out the fans' main complaints fairly: age, physical description not matching the book, and a healthy, strong vibe instead of the starved, fragile one described.
The piece ended with an anonymous industry quote: "Lionsgate is taking a big gamble on Jennifer Lawrence. Her acting might be fine, but whether audiences will accept an older, physically different Katniss remains a huge question mark."
Jennifer wasn't the only one under fire.
The same racist and purist trolls who had gone quiet after Green Lantern crawled out again.
A new account called "True Hunger Games Alliance" suddenly became very active. Their tone and rhetoric were almost identical to the old "True Green Lantern Alliance."
Cassius strongly suspected it was the same group with new usernames.
They focused their attacks on Cassius's race and what it "represented."
They dragged out racial elements the book had deliberately avoided, claiming that casting a actor as the core character Peeta Mellark was destroying the world Susan Collins built.
"Panem is set in a post-apocalyptic North America with a specific demographic logic. Arbitrarily changing the race of major characters disrespects the author's world-building!"
"First Green Lantern, now Peeta. Do you think just throwing an Asian actor into traditionally white roles will open the Asian market? This calculation is disgusting!"
Many netizens began muddying the waters, lumping Cassius in with the Black actors in the film.
For a while, the topic "Why do all the good roles go to people of color?" stayed hot on Twitter.
These posts were quickly debunked and argued against by more reasonable book fans.
But casual users ate it up and dumped another bucket of dirty water on Cassius.
Mainstream headlines were even more sensational:
"From Green Lantern to The Hunger Games: Actor Cassius Caught in Another Casting Controversy"
"The Hunger Games is Controversial Before It Even Releases – Peeta Casting Sparks Race Debate"
"Lionsgate's Big Gamble: Can a Controversial Actor Carry the Teen Market?"
Cassius scrolled through his phone and kept seeing familiar rhetoric.
His Level 5 Emotion stat kept the negative comments from affecting him much.
"Look at this 'True Hunger Games Alliance.' Old friends of mine," he said.
Jennifer leaned over, took one look, and snorted. "How bored do these people have to be?"
She took a huge bite of an apple and spoke with her mouth full. "The stuff they're saying about me is actually kind of funny. Too strong? Excuse me, if Katniss didn't have any muscle how the hell was she supposed to pull a bow or survive in the woods?"
"If they made her look as starved and frail as some fans want, she'd be dead before the first movie even started!"
"Exactly what I expected," Cassius said, walking to the window and looking out at the pool. "The book fandom for The Hunger Games is younger and more emotional than the Green Lantern comic fans. Lionsgate's marketing team is probably both stressed and secretly thrilled."
"Controversy equals buzz. That's half the battle for big box office."
"I bet Lionsgate is going to pour more gasoline on this fire."
Sure enough, that afternoon Lionsgate's PR team pushed back.
Director Gary Ross and author Susan Collins released a joint statement through Entertainment Weekly.
Gary emphasized that casting was about performance and spirit first, and that matching the soul of the character mattered more than exact physical replication.
He praised both Jennifer and Cassius for their incredible professionalism during filming.
Susan Collins' words carried even more weight:
"Jennifer is Katniss. She has every bit of strength and soul the role requires. Cassius's understanding and portrayal of Peeta's inner world deeply moved me. They are my Katniss and Peeta."
Lionsgate's official social media channels went into full gear.
The Hunger Games Twitter account and the in-universe "Capitol" account began releasing carefully timed behind-the-scenes clips.
A video of Jennifer sweating through archery training with Olympic coaches, pushing through arm pain, and footage of Cassius quietly studying the script and discussing Peeta's psychology with Gary were edited and posted.
They didn't directly address the backlash, but the images of hard work and dedication softened the narrative.
Even though Lionsgate was actively managing the story, internet outrage had serious momentum.
Changing public opinion wasn't easy.
Negative topics still dominated the trending lists.
Cassius and Jennifer's names were now tightly linked in a way neither had expected.
Jennifer's manager called her eight times a day, warning her not to accidentally like or reply to anything related.
On Cassius's side, Rob was much more relaxed: "Stay cool, bro. Right now anything you say can and will be used against you. Let Lionsgate handle the marketing circus."
Meanwhile, across the Pacific, back in China.
The Cassius Baidu Tieba forum.
The forum had been created by a few fans when Green Lantern first blew up.
At the time it wasn't very active—maybe a few dozen posts a day, mostly reposts of foreign news or discussions about the movie.
But ever since the Hunger Games casting news leaked, and especially after the official posters dropped and the overseas backlash exploded, the forum had become extremely lively.
The handful of tech-savvy fans who could bypass the firewall and translate English content became the busiest people in the community.
[Pinned Essential Thread] [Live Updates] Overseas Storm! Cassius's Hunger Games Role Sparks Massive Controversy! Twitter Trends + Media Coverage (Continuously Updated)]
OP @NorthAmericaTranslator:
Brothers! Big news! Brother Cass is getting flamed overseas again! Same playbook as Green Lantern, but even worse this time—they're bringing in book purists and race issues! I'll post screenshots and links below floor by floor. Traffic warning!
1L (OP): First, here's the Twitter trending chart. [screenshot] #NotMyPeeta #HungerGamesRacism are both trending! The replies are full of garbage.
2L (OP): Entertainment Weekly article link (VPN needed). The headline alone is shady as hell.
3L: Holy shit! Here we go again? These people never stop. What did Brother Cass ever do to them?
4L: Looking at the screenshots, I'm pissed! Saying Brother Cass doesn't fit the book? Is the book God? Movies don't need acting skills now?
5L @TimeZoneKidK: I'm on Twitter arguing with them right now!
6L: Sisters! The point isn't this! The point is Brother Cass landed another huge franchise! The Hunger Games! If the movie succeeds, he's officially made it in Hollywood!
7L: Exactly what the guy above said! Let them bark. Results will speak for themselves. Was Green Lantern's box office fake?
8L @VPNMasterA: Latest update! The female lead acting with him is getting destroyed too—called too old, doesn't look the part. This is a coordinated attack! Lionsgate's official comments section is unreadable.
9L: Fuck this! Can't take it anymore! Any overseas bros here? Go hit Twitter and Instagram and control the narrative!
10L: Agreed! Even if we're small in numbers, we need to let Brother Cass know people back home have his back!
11L: Already behind the firewall learning English curse words. Need templates!
12L: If you want to watch the movie, come find me. DM me.
13L: Mods pay attention! Suggest making a centralized thread collecting positive overseas reviews and Cassius's acting highlights, translate them into and English, and post them back. We need to fight with facts and proof!
Soon, a new pinned thread called "Cassius Global Support Command Center" was created.
It was neatly organized into sections:
- Section 1: Overseas Battle Links (Twitter topics, Lionsgate official accounts, media comment sections)
- Section 2: Ammunition Depot (GIFs of Cassius's best Green Lantern moments, official Hunger Games material, translated quotes from the director and author)
- Section 3: Technical Support (simple VPN guides, Twitter account setup, common supportive English phrases)
- Section 4: Battle Reports (which positive comments were liked, which toxic ones were reported)
This spontaneous, grassroots "expeditionary force" was quite a sight on the internet.
They had no professional PR team, no paid water army—just pure passion and the belief that their guy shouldn't be bullied overseas.
The atmosphere in the forum was angry, but even more than that, it was excited and proud.
[Hot Thread] Rational Discussion: Why Are We Supporting Cassius So Hard?
OP: These past few days the forum has been like a war zone. I just want to ask—besides being fans, what's the deeper reason?
1L: Do we even need to discuss this? He's one of us! A guy making it in Hollywood, playing a DC superhero and now the male lead in a massive YA franchise. This is called making us proud!
2L: Compare it to the domestic entertainment industry… never mind, I don't even want to.
All they do is cheat scandals, terrible acting, or selling fake personas on variety shows.
Look at Brother Cass—real work, real results. This is what breaking into the big leagues looks like!
3L: Exactly what the guy above said!
The domestic scene is full of monsters these days. Traffic is king, capital feeds them shit.
The rare ones who show any talent either get ruined by their fans or ruin themselves.
Brother Cass is in Hollywood. At least there the environment values ability more. The fact that he's succeeding means he actually has the goods!
8L: It's not just the work. Haven't you noticed? Brother Cass barely does any domestic marketing—no buying trending topics, no forced CP rumors, just focuses on acting. That kind of dedication is extremely rare in our industry.
12L: And his script choices are sharp! Green Lantern was controversial but made real money. The Hunger Games has even bigger potential.
It shows he has both talent and brains. How many actors in China have that kind of judgment? Most just eat whatever their company or sugar daddy feeds them.
15L: Bottom line, we're not just supporting an actor. We're supporting a symbol. One of our own went out there, played by their rules, on their biggest stage, and is killing it!
20L: Tearing up… that's exactly the feeling! We're proud!
Some fans even made beautiful graphics and short videos with the text "Cassius—Pride of Actors."
They paired clips of Cassius's best moments as Green Lantern with the new Hunger Games posters and spread them on Twitter and YouTube through VPNs.
While the numbers couldn't compete with official millions-view content, in the middle of all the hate, these genuine voices with names stood out strongly.
Even more overseas students and workers joined the front lines.
They used fluent English to argue from angles of acting ability, diversity in film, and character fit, pushing back against the most extreme comments.
Their posts were more rational and easier for neutral audiences to accept.
The news quickly reached Cassius through Rob.
"Bro! Your fans are absolute warriors!"
Rob sounded genuinely excited on the phone. "They organized themselves, used VPNs to get on Twitter and Instagram, flooded the topics with positive comments, and went straight to war with the haters!"
Cassius was a little surprised.
In both his past and current life, he had kept some distance from domestic fan culture.
He never expected that while grinding it out in Hollywood, he would receive such passionate, blood-pumping support from back home.