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Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson at 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' premiere in Berlin.
During a week of filming a major battle scene on “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” wrestling with stuntmen in bizarre costumes and cardboard cutouts doubling for CGI killer baboons that would be later be added by computer programmers, actor Josh Hutcherson had an epiphany.
“These stunt performers that wore these tight bodysuits that just looked ridiculous, it was kind of hard to take it seriously,” the 21-year-old actor tells the Daily News, laughing. “When I’m on set, I always think, ‘Dude, what are we doing here? We’re spending 100 million dollars to make this movie. I don’t even understand.’”
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Welcome to the dystopian future dreamed up by author Suzanne Collins in her best-selling books and turned into a movie franchise whose second installment opens Friday. In a genre known for being testosterone-saturated, the story revolves around Jennifer Lawrence’s bow-wielding Katniss and her battle against the oppressive government that sends kids to compete in a televised battle to the death. In this case, it’s the men — Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, 23 — and not the damsel in distress.
Murray Close/Lionsgate
Hutcherson's Peeta (right) is a fellow contestant of Lawrence's Katniss in the government's deadly competition in 'Catching Fire.'
“The fact that we have a woman front and center and the strongest character, I think it’s great,” says Hemsworth.
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In fact, the major battle they face is with each other, over Katniss’ affections. Much like “Twilight” fans were split in Team Edward and Team Jacob camps, fans have definite opinions about whether the heroine should end up with childhood friend Gale (Hemsworth) or Peeta (Hutcherson), her fellow contestant in the deadly competition.
Even the actors are torn.
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Gale, played by Hemsworth (pictured), is a childhood friend of Katniss who competes with Peeta for her affection.
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“I don’t necessarily think that ‘Team Peeta’ is the right choice,” says Peeta himself. “I feel like Peeta has the more kind of sensitive, artistic listener side. And Gale is more protector/provider/caretaker type.
“If I were Katniss, I don’t know who I would choose.”
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Murray Close/Lionsgate
Hutcherson, in a scene from 'Catching Fire' with Elizabeth Banks and Jennifer Lawrence, says he isn't sure if his character, Peeta, is the right choice for Katniss.
Hemsworth also makes a pitch for his distinguished competition: “What Gale knows is — as hard as it is to watch someone he cares deeply about fall in love with someone else — he really does care about her,” says the Australian actor.
“All Peeta is trying to do is protect her and keep her alive and that’s all Gale wants as well.”
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The enormous success of the first “Hunger Games,” which earned $691 million worldwide at the box office, has been a mixed blessing for the actors. Hutcherson and Hemsworth have gone from working actors to Hollywood heavyweights, but the number of paparazzi has multiplied as fast as the movie offers.
Murray Close/Lionsgate
Hutcherson and Lawrence in 'Catching Fire.' Hutcherson says if he were Katniss, he wouldn't know which love interest to choose.
In light of his recent breakup with ex-fiancée Miley Cyrus, Hemsworth doesn’t like to talk about it. Hutcherson is blunt. “There’s definitely times when you have people outside your house waiting for you to leave and they follow you everywhere you go and then they follow you back to your house,” he says. “I wouldn’t have signed up for all this if I knew I was going to get stripped of my liberties as an American.”
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One thing both actors can agree on is that it’s hard to keep a straight face when kissing Lawrence, which (spoiler alert), both are lucky enough to get to do in “Catching Fire.”
“She’s making jokes the whole time, and then you’re making jokes,” Hemsworth says.
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“Kissing scenes in any movie are very awkward, because it’s unnatural — you’re doing something in front of all these people and cameras. But on ‘Catching Fire,’ silly things happen. She’s always doing something funny. You just have to let it go.”
It is her world, after all.
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