'Hunger Games': Meet the Cast

When her dear 12-year-old sister Prim is picked to go fight in the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen demands to be sent instead. ''She's this incredibly strong, unbelievably self-reliant, tough character,'' raves director Gary Ross. ''She has this mother-lion quality where she'll do anything for those she loves.''

Peeta is the baker's generous-hearted son, who's called up along with Katniss to represent District 12 in the Hunger Games. When EW asked Lawrence to pick her favorite character in the trilogy, she chose Peeta: ''He's good and nice in a world that's harsh and unkind.''

Gale Hawthorne is Katniss' touchstone in District 12, her faithful friend and hunting partner. In the beginning, he asks Katniss to run away with him so they can escape the cruel whims of the Capitol.

The pink-haired, sadistically bubbly Trinket serves as an escort for District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Also a bit of a social climber, Trinket is all too excited to be part of the reaping.

Harrelson (Zombieland, 2012) will take on the crucial role of the only living resident of District 12 ever to win the titular to-the-death games and the mentor to current District 12 tributes Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). He starts off the series as a burned-out drunk, but Haymitch ultimately begins to see Katniss and Peeta as his poverty-stricken district's best hope for winning the games and helps them as best he can.

Making his debut in the 74th Hunger Games, stylist Cinna is tasked with overhauling the supposedly lowly District 12 female tribute Katniss Everdeen. His first act of genius is her Girl on Fire dress. Charmed by his gentle demeanor and restrained appearance — Cinna's only nod to Capitol fashion is his gold eyeliner — Katniss comes to consider him a true friend.

Although Snow mostly lurks around the outskirts of the first volume of Games, he is unquestionably the series' main puppet master. The ruler of Panem is a quietly malevolent figure who is shrouded in secrecy.

The always elegant Stanley Tucci will vamp it up to play Caesar Flickerman, the smooth-talking, just this side of oily interviewer at the annual Hunger Games. Expect his hair, eyelids, and lips to be dyed a powder blue and his suit adorned with a thousand twinkling electric bulbs. It is Flickerman — and his probing questions — who introduces Katniss and the other tributes to the Capitol audience.

The American Beauty star plays the 74th Annual Hunger Games Head Gamemaker, who makes a decision at the end of the first book that sets the course for Suzanne Collins' dystopian trilogy.

The 12-year-old District 11 tribute reminds Katniss of her younger sister, Prim. That association leads Katniss to team up with the young tribute in an alliance that has a lasting effect on the Hunger Games heroine throughout the entire trilogy.

Ludwig (Race to Witch Mountain) will be the nasty piece of work from District 2 who is a hulking, fiercely competitive specimen and perhaps Katniss' biggest threat in the reality TV fight to the death.

A strong, ruthless Career Tribute from District 1, Marvel has trained most of his life for the Games and shows no mercy. In the book, he is never mentioned by name. It is only in Catching Fire that we learn it.

Fuhrman (Orphan) will play the expert knife-thrower from District 2. Clove has been known to take tremendous glee in killing her competitors.

Tall and beautiful, Glimmer is still quite deadly. Partnered with Marvel, her fellow tribute from District 1, she is also cunning and not above cheating.

Newcomer, and New Mexico native, Willow Shields will play Katniss' delicate and much-loved younger sister, Primrose Everdeen. When Katniss listens in horror as Prim's name is called to represent District 12 in the Hunger Games, she immediately sacrifices herself. ''Prim is an emotionally demanding role, and in many ways she is the cornerstone of the story,'' says director Gary Ross.

The widowed Mrs. Everdeen is a victim of the totalitarian government of the story's dystopian future. In the first book, she must watch one daughter sacrifice herself for her other child. Producer Nina Jacobson said the role required ''someone who could really transport herself, and audiences, to a place as tough as District 12.''

A powerful, intimidating force from District 11, Thresh proves to be a formidable opponent — and a surprise ally for Katniss within the arena.

Emerson, whose big break up until now was voicing a role in 2004's Father of the Pride TV series, will play the quick and sly tribute from District 5. Nicknamed Foxface by Katniss, she is a clever nemesis who never utters a single word in the book. Though she does let loose a mean laugh after the Careers' food supply is decimated.

Portia is Peeta Mellark's appointed stylist during the 74th and 75th Hunger Games, and a brilliant partner of fellow District 12 stylist Cinna. Together Portia and Cinna come up with the idea of presenting Katniss as the Girl on Fire in her first Capitol appearance.

Octavia is a pivotal part of Cinna's prep team, a foursome charged with overhauling Katniss's appearance in preparation for the Hunger Games. In the books, Octavia is described as a garish woman whose hair and entire body is dyed in various shades of green.

Prescott, whose resume boasts a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, will play the girl tribute from District 3. She has a tearful goodbye scene with her parents and younger siblings before being whisked away to the Hunger Games.

The boy tribute from District 3 manages to align himself with the Careers, who exploit his skills in technology and electronics.

Not only is Vepez-Frias a relative unknown, not much is known about District 9 or either of its tributes. But the male tribute does play a pivotal role in Katniss's survival.

Thurman will take on the role of the unnamed and barely seen tribute.

The unknown actor will play the male tribute in Panem's District 8, a region that figures predominantly into Suzanne Collins' trilogy.

The unnamed female tribute from District 8, played by unknown actress Lintz, has a tragic run-in with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) in the first novel.

Very little is known about District 6 — including this unnamed tribute, who will be played by Moio, an actor who has appeared in series like No Ordinary Family and Dexter.

Stuntwoman Petersen — whose work appears in J.J. Abrams' upcoming Super 8 — should boast the skills necessary to play the unnamed District 6 female tribute.

Mark — an actor with a stunt work background who has also had roles in projects like The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Unnatural History — will represent as District 5's male tribute. He remains nameless throughout the Hunger Games.

A young tribute in the affluent Panem district, the unnamed boy runs into trouble at the Cornucopia.

A skilled player, the unnamed District 4 tribute is a Career who forms an alliance with other Careers, the unnamed District 4 boy (Ian Nelson) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).

The Panem District known for livestock sends Hood's unnamed tribute to the reaping. And, undoubtedly, Hood dealt with hunger filming 2007's Scripture Cake: A Southern Cuisine Movie.

Marinas' unnamed District 10 tribute might walk with a limp, but the actor certainly has full use of all his extremities, based on his impressive stunt work: He's appeared in The Green Hornet and will be seen in the Sherlock Holmes sequel.

Avoxes are Capitol slaves who've had their tongues cut out over some perceived act of rebellion. Chaney will play the Avox who attends to Katniss before she goes into the arena, and who Katniss realizes she has a connection to.

He's the legendary, and legendarily pompous, announcer of the Hunger Games. Claudius is known for his disingenuous catchphrase — ''And may the odds be ever in your favor!'' — that comes at the end of his bombastic announcements regarding the tributes.

He wrote the screenplays for winners like Big and Dave, and directed Pleasantville and Seabiscuit, for which he earned an Oscar nomination. ''If you look at my work, even though it may not be quite as intense as the Hunger Games, there's an antiauthoritarian streak that runs through all that.''