'Sunrise on the Reaping': Joseph Zada launches press tour in his hometown of Sydney

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents 'Sunrise on the Reaping': Joseph Zada launches press tour in his hometown of Sydney.

Sydney, not the Capitol — when the "Tributes of Panem" universe stops in the hometown of its new star, it's more than just another stop on a press tour. Joseph Zada and Mckenna Grace celebrated the launch of the international promo for "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" in Sydney on October 14, 2026. For Zada, it's a home game: the 21-year-old was born in the Australian harbor city.

Who is Joseph Zada?

Joseph Cumpston, his real name, was born on July 21, 2005, in Sydney and now performs under his stage name. His career path before "Sunrise on the Reaping" reads like a classic Australian acting trajectory: appearances in the ABC series "Total Control" (2024), in the Stan Australia series "Invisible Boys" (2025), and in the films "Bilched" (2019) and "The Speedway Murders" (2023). On Instagram, around 447,000 people now follow him. The role of young Haymitch Abernathy is by far his biggest international appearance to date — and, according to IMDb, slated for 2026.

What is "Sunrise on the Reaping" about?

The film is a prequel set 24 years before "The Hunger Games," according to the Sydney Morning Herald, and puts a younger Haymitch Abernathy at its center. In their trailer article, the SMH describes Zada as a "Sydney-born actor" taking on the role. The two sources — the US promo portal Just Jared and the Australian daily newspaper — are pulling in the same direction: Zada is at the center of the Sydney leg.

Why does the tour start in Sydney of all places?

Just Jared shows Zada and Grace at their first official appearances around the film. The reason the promo is starting in Australia is simple: Zada has roots there, and local media are picking it up prominently. It's rare for the global marketing machinery of a major US franchise to kick off in the home city of a still-young actor — usually these tours run through the usual hubs of Los Angeles, London, or New York.

What this means for you

If you follow the franchise, "Sunrise on the Reaping" is your next big installment — and an actor in a key role whose career has mostly played out in Australia so far. For Zada himself, the Sydney start means the press tour begins where he grew up and played his first roles.

The SMH released a trailer for the film as part of the press tour — it gives you a first taste of how the young Haymitch will come across on screen. The press photos from Just Jared round it out with images of the two stars off-camera. If you want to know how Zada functions outside Australian productions, this Sydney start is the first visual answer.