Josh Hutcherson hungry for Hunger Games

Josh Hutcherson is campaigning for the role of Peeta in the upcoming and highly anticipated adaptation of The Hunger Games, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The actor, last seen in The Kids Are All Right and currently promoting his film Detention at South By Southwest (SXSW), shared why he was holding out hope he would be cast as the male tribute for District 12.

“I love Peeta, The character is so much who I am—self deprecating, a people person. And he’d be such a great character to play! Like in the third book? Oh my God.”

Obviously we can’t detail what happens to Peeta in the final book of the trilogy, but take it from a self-confessed fangirl: Oh my God indeed!

This is the first real news we’ve had of male casting for the film; with many female names being thrown around it’s time we started seeing which young Hollywood hotties – I mean – serious actors, are being considered.

The character of Peeta is described as blue eyed with a stocky build and “ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forehead”, the perfect description of I Am Number Four actor Alex Pettyfer. If only he could act *sigh*.

Though taste is purely in the eye of the beholder, both male leads in the story, Peeta and Gale, are meant to be, how we shall phrase this … hot. Of course with Twilight ending, executives are looking for their next big franchise hit, so Hunger Games arrives with perfect timing as we move from “are you Team Edward or Team Jacob”, to “are you Team Gale or Team Peeta”?

While Hutcherson is no Quasimodo, many readers may agree he is not who they pictured while reading Suzanne Collins’ hit series. As for acting experience, he’s proven he’s more than a solid lead option. The real decision whether he is right for the part or not comes down to his chemistry with Katniss, who of course hasn’t been cast yet.

Hutcherson said that he has seen an older version of the script and has met with director Gary Ross but laments that “they’re meeting a lot of people right now” and “One can only dream.” Indeed Josh, one can only dream that they will cast this role perfectly, and unfortunately you don’t quite fit the bill.

Discuss: Who would you like to see star as Peeta (or any of the characters for that matter)?