Celebrities
Who Is Joseph Zada? A Deep Dive Into the ‘We Were Liars’ Breakout Playing Young Haymitch
Joseph Zada is taking the YA book-to-screen adaptation world by storm, and we are SO here for it.
On April 23, 2025, the official Hunger Games Instagram page revealed that Joseph Zada would be playing the lead role in what is arguably the most anticipated upcoming book-to-screen adaptation, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Zada will be starring as young Haymitch Abernathy, a character from the original trilogy, first played by Woody Harrelson. The prequel story follows Haymitch as one of the four District 12 tributes during the 50th Hunger Games.
With lead roles in both The Hunger Games franchise and Prime Video’s upcoming adaptation of We Were Liars, it’s safe to say that Zada’s star is rapidly rising, so we’ve rounded up everything we know about the young star. Below, you can find out more about where Zada is from, if he’s related to any other actors, and what you may have seen him in before. Plus, find out what he told Swooon about the audition process for Haymitch!
Where is Joseph Zada from?
Joseph Zada is from Sydney, Australia. While the 20-year-old actor is fairly private, we do know that his birth name is Joseph Cumpston. His father is Jeremy Cumpston, a doctor, actor, and director, who is best known for playing the role of Connor Costello in All Saints, an Australian medical drama. Zada also has three siblings, including Hal Cumpston, who played Zachary in Nine Perfect Strangers.
Who does Joseph Zada play in We Were Liars?
Joseph Zada will be playing Johnny Sinclair Dennis in We Were Liars, one of the show’s four main teenage characters. Hitting the streamer on June 18, 2025, the show revolves around the affluent Sinclair family, who spend every summer vacationing on their private island near Martha’s Vineyard.
Zada lies at the heart of the story in a group called the Liars, consisting of three cousins (Mirren (Esther McGregor), Cadence (Emily Alyn Lind), and his character Johnny), and his friend Gat (Shubham Maheshwari), who spends every summer with the family. Following a mysterious accident the previous summer, the show follows the oldest Sinclair cousin, Cadence, as she returns to the island to reconnect with her Liars and piece together the tragedy that caused her amnesia.
What has Joseph Zada said about playing Haymitch?
While doing press for We Were Liars, Joseph Zada exclusively told Swooon that the audition process “put [him] through the wringer.” He stated that going into the role, “I feel comfortable. I’m excited and I’m nervous, but it is very exciting.”
When Zada was cast as young Haymitch, alongside Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove, Lionsgate’s co-president Erin Westerman told Variety, “After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, these two stood out—not just for their talent, but for the emotional truth they brought to these iconic roles. Haymitch has always been a fan favorite, and his origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise. His relationship with Lenore Dove is deeply woven into the emotional history of Panem. We can’t wait for fans to experience the story that shaped one of the most compelling characters in the series.”
What other movies has Joseph Zada been in?
Before We Were Liars, Zada got his start playing Toby in Bilched, a 2019 film directed by his father, Jeremy Cumpston, and written by his brother, Hal Cumpston. After that, he appeared in an Australian political drama TV show called Total Control as Charlie Roth in Invisible Boys, another Australian drama that came out in February 2025. Zada will also appear alongside Florence Pugh, Mike Faist, and Martha Plimpton in Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of East of Eden.
