Entertainment

Jennifer Lawrence's Mockingjay song scores Number 2 debut on iTunes

Jennifer Lawrence can add pop star to her resume as The Hanging Tree, a single from the latest Hunger Games movie, becomes an unexpected international hit.

The Hanging Tree nabs top 20 chart success in U.K., Australia

This CD cover image released by Universal shows the soundtrack for the film The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 1, performed by various artists. (Universal/Associated Press)

Actress Jennifer Lawrence's haunting recording of The Hanging Tree has landed at number 2 on the iTunes music chart.

In addition, the song is currently number 14 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart and it's new at number 12 on ARIA's Australian Top 50 Singles Chart.

The song appears on the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1. 

Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen in the dystopian Hunger Games films. The latest in the franchise is dominating the box office both at home and internationally.

Jennifer Lawrence portrays Katniss Everdeen in a scene from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 1. (Murray Close/Lionsgate/Associated Press)

Lawrence is hoping to replicate her chart success in the U.S. She’s aiming for a top-40 bow with The Hanging Tree on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Those results will be revealed on Wednesday. 

The song was written by Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games series of books) and The Lumineers' Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schultz. It's heard in the film first as an a cappella performance by Lawrence (in character as Katniss), before she is joined by a choir and an orchestra.

With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press