David Henrie says missing out on a major role in The Hunger Games became a turning point in his faith, setting him on a path towards Catholicism and eventually marriage.
The Wizards of Waverly Place actor discussed the experience during an appearance on The Lila Rose Show, describing the lost opportunity as "the best thing in the world." Henrie said he had been competing with Liam Hemsworth to play Gale Hawthorne opposite Jennifer Lawrence.
"It was down to me and Liam Hemsworth for the role in 'The Hunger Games,'" Henrie recalled. "I had a great audition and we negotiated the contracts."
The potential deal involved three films and millions of dollars. Although Henrie wanted the part, he said he now understands the casting decision and believes Hemsworth was the right choice.
Missing that opportunity helped open the way for Henrie to appear in the 2015 drama Little Boy. During filming, he attended informal philosophy gatherings where conversations about existence and the origins of the universe prompted him to reconsider his beliefs.
At the time, professional success had left him dissatisfied. Despite earning money and acquiring the possessions he had associated with achievement, Henrie said he still lacked a sense of fulfilment. Those discussions encouraged him to pursue deeper questions about God and the purpose of his life.
His exploration eventually brought him to Catholicism and changed his approach to relationships.
"It all clicked and I radically changed the way that I live," he said. Henrie explained that he decided to stop casual dating and pursue a relationship with marriage in mind. He later met Maria Cahill through an archbishop, and the couple married in 2017.
Looking back, Henrie connects the disappointment of losing a coveted Hollywood role with the faith and family life that followed. What once appeared to be a career setback became, in his telling, an opportunity to reconsider what success meant.
