The Hunger Games - Character Guide!

Everyone knows Katniss, Gale and Peeta, but there are plenty of other interesting characters to explore from The Hunger Games. Following is the actor portraying them and a short description about each character.

Jennifer Lawrence is the chosen one to portray 16-year-old heroine Katniss Everdeen. Katniss takes her younger sister's place as a tribute from Distrcit 12 in the 74th Hunger Games. District 12 is known for coal mining and is very poor so food is lacking there. Katniss, illegally, often takes to the woods with her friend Gale to hunt for food. She's very proficient with her bow and arrow.

Gale is also from District 12 and is Katniss's best friend and hunting partner. While Katniss is an expert at archery, his particular talent is trapping. He's secretly in love with Katniss and very devoted to her. Gale will be played by Liam Hemsworth in the movie.

Peeta is the male tribute chosen from District 12 alongside Katniss for the 74th Hunger Games. He has known who Katniss is since they were five, even though he has never spoken to her before the games. He even saved her life when they were eleven by giving her a burnt loaf of bread from his father's bakery. During the games he reveals his love for her. Josh Hutcherson will play Peeta in the movie.

Primrose or 'Prim' is Katniss's younger sister who first gets chosen to be a tribute for the Hunger Games before Katniss takes her place. She loves animals and has a stray cat named Buttercup that only she can handle. Prim is thoughtful, kind and sweet. She will be played by Willow Shields in the movie.

Actress Paula Malcomson is Mrs. Everdeen, Katniss and Prim's mother in the movie. Mrs. Everdeen is a widow whose husband died in a mining accident. She raises her two daughters to the best of her abilities even though she is severely depressed. She was raised as the daughter of an apothecary and has knowledge of medicines so she sets up her own apothecary in District 12.

Woody Harrelson has been cast as Haymitch Abernathy, the Distrcit 12 mentor to Katniss and Peeta for the games. He is their mentor because he previously won the 50th games when he was a 16-year-old tribute from District 12. Since that time, he has become an alcoholic to escape what happened to him during the games. He is actually very clever and cunning and a great ally for Katniss and Peeta.

Effie is from the Capitol and acts as a chaperone to Katniss and Peeta during the Hunger Games. She wishes to be promoted to a better, richer District than District 12, but it slowly grows on her. Effie has bright pink hair, is strict about manners and gets made fun of by Katniss and Peeta for saying, "May the odds be EVER in your favor!" Elizabeth Banks will be donning the pink hair to portray Effie in the movie.

Rocker Lenny Kravitz will be portraying Cinna, Katniss's stylist, who designs and makes all of her very elaborate outfits for the games. He becomes a close friend to Katniss and does what he can to help support the resistance to the Capitol and the games in his own way using his talents.

Caesar Flickerman, the very flamboyant TV host of the Hunger Games will be portrayed by Stanley Tucci. He's very easygoing as an interviewer with the tributes and wears wild outfits that match his hair, which changes color every year along with the games.

Wes Bentley will portray Seneca Crane, who is the Head Gamemaker for the 74th Hunger Games.

President Snow is one of the most evil and feared characters in The Hunger Games books. He is the ruler of the Capitol and of the entire country of Panem. He always wears a white rose in his lapel to cover the scent of blood. Donald Sutherland will play Snow in the movie.