Peeta

First Appearance: Hunger Games

Last Appearance: Mockingjay

Nickname(s): The boy with the bread (Katniss),Lover Boy (Career Tributes)

Gender: Male

Occupation: Baker, Artist Peeta Mellark is the male tribute from District 12 in the 74th and 75th Hunger Games. He is a baker's son, very shy but confident, and he states in an interview after the Reaping that he has been in love with Katniss since the first day he saw her. His relationship with Katniss grows throughout the novels.

During The Hunger Games, Peeta is certain that Katniss will win because of her experience in hunting. Peeta defends Katniss and even declares his love for her on public television. Though Peeta is sincere, Katniss does not truly return Peeta's affections; she initially believes he is simply trying to curry favor with the public and with the sponsors, and she still has strong feelings for Gale. They are the last two tributes left at the end of the Games, but rather than fight to the death, Peeta and Katniss attempt suicide, forcing the Gamemakers to declare both of them the victors.

Catching Fire opens with Peeta "icy" and "unreachable", believing that the affections Katniss showed him during the previous year's Games were a ploy. When President Snow announces the Third Quarter Quell, Peeta makes a deal with Haymitch to keep Katniss alive and safe - he will volunteer himself in Haymitch's place in order to protect Katniss, despite his intention to save Katniss's life by sacrificing himself. He lies to the Capitol in an effort to try and save Katniss from the Hunger Games by saying untruthfully that they are married and that she is pregnant. During the third Quarter Quell, Peeta and Katniss are part of the group that destroys the arena. While rebels from District 13 rescue Katniss, Peeta is captured by Capitol forces. Katniss finds herself willing to kill him to save him from the tortures there.

In Mockingjay, he is tortured physically and mentally in an attempt to "break" Katniss because of her love for him. Although he and others are eventually rescued, the Capitol had tampered with his memories by using tracker jacker venom - a process called "hijacking" - which leaves him frightened and unstable. Believing that Katniss is a muttation, and remembering only a twisted version of their experiences in the Games, Peeta attempts to kill Katniss. With help from District 13 doctors and friends, he slowly begins to regain parts of his real memories, although the process is overwhelming and tedious for him. President Coin sends him on the final mission into the Capitol with the squad of soldiers that includes Katniss, Gale, and Finnick, where he struggles with his memories and mental trauma. It is believed President Coin's intention was for Peeta to become insane and kill Katniss, making her into a martyr. However, Peeta manages to prevent this from happening, even insisting that he be handcuffed constantly in case he loses control and hurts someone. Realizing the danger in which he puts the group and the difficulty he causes them, he asks to be killed when it seems that he will lose control and try to kill Katniss. Katniss fiercely refuses and kisses him, which seems to make him stable. Peeta later votes not to have a Hunger Games featuring Capitol children. When the war ends, Peeta survives and eventually returns to District 12 with Katniss. Later he and Katniss marry, and have two children - a boy (younger) and a girl (older) - who are able to live in a world without the Hunger Games.

Peeta's actual age or birthdate are never given, but it is assumed that he is the same age as Katniss, because he was in her grade when he first heard her sing. His favorite color is orange like the sunset.

He is played by actor Josh Hutcherson in the 2012 movie.