How Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson Became Hunger Games Hunks!

Actors were big fans of the books before getting Gale and Peeta roles, are happy about the adaptation's faithfulness

By Rebecca Macatee Mar 12, 2012 4:50 PMTags

There's a lot of pressure on Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson to live up to Hunger Games fans' expectations of Gale and Peeta.

So how did the duo prepare for their roles?

Hutcherson had to put on 15 pounds of muscle, which meant eating a lot of chicken breasts and spinach. The 19-year-old star admitted he was nervous about playing Peeta, but relieved that the film stayed "faithful to the book."

Hemsworth said he related the most to the character of Gale all along and quickly saw that he and Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) had "great screen chemistry." Like Hutcherson, he was a big fan of the books before locking down the part.

For more of Gale, Peeta, Katniss and the Tributes, check back here on March 12, when we'll be livestreaming all the action from the Hunger Games premiere.

 —Additional reporting by Bruna Nessif