It can be tricky for co-stars who have great chemistry to get away from the shipping culture online, particularly when it’s already got a massive book following. So it makes sense that their love lives are going to come up more the bigger the fandom is, and right now, thanks to Sunrise on the Reaping, one of the actors can’t seem to stop talking about her relationship… and she’s not complaining. Mckenna Grace invoked District 12 when talking about her love life and I get it, considering who Hunger Games fans ship her with.
When Sunrise on the Reaping hit the 2026 movie schedule, I knew it wouldn’t be long before ships started sailing, especially after getting the first reactions to the movie. Grace plays District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner (along with her twin Merrilee). So naturally, she spends a lot of time with Joseph Zada who plays young Haymitch, and even though she’s happily dating a different co-star, Mason Thames, fans are still shipping them. The actor made sure to shout out her partner in an interview discussing all things Hunger Games with Cosmopolitan.
Mckenna Grace Invoked District 12 While Discussing Her Relationship With Mason Thames
While dishing about manifesting her Hunger Games role and being "Team Peeta," she assured fans that she’s never been happier. She has been dating Thames since the two took their Regretting You romance from the screen into real-life. The couple went public earlier in the year on Valentine’s Day, and have been going strong ever since. Grace shares:
Your girl is happy. I’m feeling very lovey-dovey. I have somebody I can be a complete nerd with. I got my best friend, and so I don’t see the point in not loving loudly.
Grace is going all in on "loving loudly," and I’m loving how similar it is to her dedication as a fangirl. After all she dressed like Jennifer Lawrence for the prequel’s press tour. According to Grace, she doesn’t see the point in keeping her feelings to herself:
There are moments that are just for you and your person. But I don’t see the point in not celebrating who you’re in love with. A lot of people’s hesitation around this stems from the idea that if you post about someone a bunch and then you break up, that’s embarrassing. But why would I even think about that? I’m just going to focus on the present.
It can be stressful having a relationship in the public eye, but the actor seems to be handling with grace. Though I didn’t expect her to invoke District 12 when bringing up her dedication to Thames. In hindsight, given how much of a fan girl she is of Peeta Mellark, I should have. Additionally, in what can only be described as a Tom Holland move, Thames was often hanging out around the cornucopia with her while filming:
It’s a terrifying thing in a relationship to surrender yourself to that thought of, I’m just going to be at my most vulnerable and trust you, and this part of my life is fully in your hands. But I don’t see the point in building a relationship based on fear. I am the biggest fan of the person I’m with, so why wouldn’t I be like, ‘This is my person. I am so stoked I have this’? We’re always on each other’s sets anyway. He’s like an honorary member of District 12 at this point.
It Makes Sense After She And Joseph Zada Reacted To Fans Shipping Them
The shout out to Thames’ visits could have to do with die hard fans shipping her IRL with co-star Zada. It definitely feels like her polite way of reminding people, because she's well aware of what the fans want to see. During the press tour, the co-stars were asked what they thought.
The two quickly laughed it off and described it as “pretty weird.” For them, it goes beyond the two already dating other people. While Grace is outright about her relationship with Thames, Zada goes a more private route with his non-actor girlfriend. Truthfully, it has to do with the fact that they view each other like family thanks to long hours on the Hunger Games prequel. Check out this exchange between them during an interview with Refinery29 Australia:
- Zada: Mckenna does feel like my younger, younger sister.
- Grace: Younger? Definitely not.
- Zada: Nah, we’re twins.
- Grace: Twins! Jo’s like family, I mean. I think that’s the fun of the internet is that they can ship whatever characters or people or anything they want as long as it’s not intruding on people’s own lives.
However, this hasn’t stopped the two from calling out their own favorite ships amongst their castmates. From Zada and Ben Wang to Grace and Laura Marcus, there’s plenty to choose from, but for Grace she’s team ‘Maydove.’ In fact, she informed Zada that she’s “coming for [his] girl.” (Though I’m surprised Grace didn’t shout out Peeta and Katnis, especially since they reprised their roles in the movie. We all know about Grace's fan edits.)
Regardless of ship preference, it’s nice to see the co-stars having fun with the shipping culture, and not taking anything to heart. Besides, Grace is clearly thriving in her "lovey dovey" era with her very own Peeta and I love that for her.
