The Boys star, Jack Quaid, apologizes for killing Rue in The Hunger Games. The 2012 blockbuster directed by Gary Ross and based on the collection of novels from Suzanne Collins, where children are called upon to fight to the death for the benefit, status, and prosperity of their home district, was the inaugural acting debut for Quaid. He played Marvel, an arrogant and self-assured tribute from District 1 who drastically alters the course of the film when he kills District 11’s Rue, played by Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give). Prompting swift and deadly retaliation by Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen. Marvel would go down Katniss’ 1st official “kill” in the film, setting the course for her and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) to winning the 74th Hunger Games.
The wildly popular film would spawn three sequels — The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 in 2014, and Mockingjay Part 2 in 2015. Quaid does have a cameo in Catching Fire, albeit only appearing in Katniss' head, but since then, Quaid has been a film and television regular, appearing on HBO’s Vinyl, Workaholics on Comedy Central, and the video game based action flick, Rampage, starring Dwayne Johnson.
After a recent airing of The Hunger Games on Freeform, many fans are only just now recognizing Quaid as Marvel. A viewer calls out Quaid on Twitter for his 2012 character’s dastardly deed, to which Quaid replied — “Oh s*** that’s right. Sorry.” He then followed up with, "In all fairness, I met my demise VERY quickly afterwards. I was brainwashed by my luxurious District 1 upbringing. But yes incredibly sorry."
The son of famed actors Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow) and Meg Ryan (You’ve Got Mail), Jack Quaid's current starring role is on Amazon Prime’s The Boys. There he plays nice-guy Hughie Campbell, who after his girlfriend is killed, joins a band of vigilante outlaws bent on punishing depraved and morally bereft superheroes. The Boys also stars Karl Urban (Star Trek) as Billy Butcher, the leader of their crew, and Anthony Starr (Banshee) as Homelander, head of the super-team, The Seven, and one of the most powerful beings on the planet.
Quaid’s apology in regard to Rue, although partially sarcastic, was a lightheartedly sweet gesture, and rather interesting in relation to his character on The Boys. In 2019’s season 1, episode 1, “The Name of the Game", Hughie, seeking closure and accountability on behalf of the “heroes” who killed his girlfriend, is presented with the most insincere, empty, and dismissive pseudo-apology from the superhero A-Train, which is what ultimately prompts him to join Billy Butcher’s crusade. Though it may be too little, too late for both The Hunger Games' Marvel and Rue, it’s still a funny sentiment likely appreciated by fans who have loved the characters.
Source: Jack Quaid