Los Angeles, Nov 24 (IANS): Actor Peter Dinklage, who was recently seen in ‘The Hunger Games’ prequel film ‘Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’, said that people don’t have to be familiar with the original films or books to understand the film.

The ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ star essays the role of Casca Highbottom, the Dean of the Academy in the Capitol, who unintentionally creates the battle royale death match called the Hunger Games, and later lives to regret it till the end of his days, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Speaking on the latest episode of ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’, the ‘Game of Thrones’ alum said: “It’s what we call in the trades a prequel, so you don’t need to see the other movies.”

“Or perhaps it will inspire you to see the films already made, but he created it, and now the genie’s out of the bottle, and he realises what he’s done is horrible. So, he likes to intoxicate himself to cover the pain up.”

The Emmy winner further added that the fashion of the previous ‘Hunger Games’ films applies here as well, though given the fact that it is set decades before the events of the main films it has a more ‘Cold War’ type of twist to it.

While on set, Dinklage also revealed that there was quite a lot of goofing around as he even indulged in parties.

He said: “I used to party. I don’t party much anymore. Instead I found this park. I would go on my days off whenever the young people were probably partying, and I would train this bird.”

Set 64 years before the original Jennifer Lawrence movies, ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ focuses on the journey of Coriolanus Snow as to how he became the tyrannical ruler of Panem.

It follows his transformation from a young and brash person who ends up becoming one of the most ruthless, calculating, cunning dictators ever.