Actress Jena Malone, who stared in “The Hunger Games” franchise as Johanna Mason, recently posted a throwback picture on Instagram that was taken shortly after she wrapped filming “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part Two.”
In the picture, Malone is standing alone in a field. She shared that she “asked the driver to let me out in this field so I could cry and capture this moment.”
While Malone shares that she felt “full of gratitude for this project, the people I became close with and this amazing part I got to play,” those were only some of the emotions she was experiencing at that moment. She also revealed that she experienced “such a traumatic event.”
Malone shared that she “was sexually assaulted by someone I had worked with” on the film shoot. The film was released in 2015, and just now, in 2023, she’s sharing that after a lot of hard work she has learned “how to make peace with the person who violated me and make peace with myself.” She wrote, “I’ve worked very hard to heal and learn thru restorative justice.” She added, “I’m ready to move thru it and reclaim the joy and accomplishment I felt.”
At the end of Malone’s post, she spoke to anyone reading this who may be able to personally relate to the pain she has experienced. She wrote, “I want to say im here for anyone who needs to talk or vent or open uncommunicated spaces within themselves. Please dm me if you need a safe space to be heard.”
Actress Stef Dawson, who played Annie Cresta in the “Hunger Games” films, commented on Malone’s post writing, “I’ve said this to you but want to say it here too, you are a beautiful brave soul. I treasured this day, this moment on our spontaneous stop in this Parisian field on the way home, but so deeply sorry this time was full of such heartache and complexity for you. Sending you love and support, then, now, and always.”
Willow Shields, who played Primrose Everdeen in the “Hunger Games” films, also commented on Malone’s post. She shared, “This post has me at a loss of words. I understand and I hope that though the process is so slow you are okay Jena.”
Watch the video below to learn more about Malone’s experience filming “Hunger Games.”