Sam Claflin: I almost killed my Hunger Games co-star

Sam Claflin confessed he almost killed a co-star for real during the filming of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

The 27-year-old British hunk, who plays fan favourite Finnick Odair in the film series, almost finished off 80-year-old veteran actress Lynn Cohen in the filming process.

‘It was the first day I had to pick Lynn up and whoever decided to give me the responsibility of another human life made a mistake,’ Claflin told Guilty Pleasures, recalling a scene where he runs with the elderly star – who plays Mags – clinging to his back.

‘I picked her up and we were running towards a rocky beach when my knee hit a rock. I should explain – Lynn could not go into the water because it would send her blood pressure ridiculously high,’ he went on.

‘I hit this rock and she was clinging on for dear life and I was asking her to get off. But she didn’t let go and we went in.’

Fortunately an on-set death was avoided. It transpires, though, that the actor did a good job of maiming himself during filming in a jungle.

‘I walked into a bush and nearly blinded myself, I broke a finger… it was treacherous terrain,’ he revealed.

Meanwhile co-star Liam Hemsworth explained he is more of a danger to himself when not on a film set.

‘Last night I was playing with a knife and I smashed it on my finger. It might be broken,’ the Australian actor said.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 12 November 2013]