Josh Hutcherson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josh Hutcherson
Hutcherson in 2015
Born	Joshua Ryan Hutcherson (1992-10-12) October 12, 1992 (age 32) Union, Kentucky, U.S.
Education	Laurel Springs School Ryle High School
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2002–present
Partner(s)	Claudia Traisac (2013–present)
Parents	Chris Hutcherson (father) Michelle Fightmaster (mother)
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Joshua Ryan Hutcherson (born October 12, 1992) is an American actor. He started acting in the early 2000s. He appeared in commercials and small TV and movie roles.

Josh became well-known in his teenage years. He had main roles in movies like Little Manhattan and Zathura: A Space Adventure (both 2005). Other notable films included RV (2006), Bridge to Terabithia (2007), and Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008). He also starred in The Kids Are All Right (2010).

In 2011, Josh got the big role of Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games film series. These popular movies came out between 2012 and 2015. For his work, he won several awards, including three MTV Movie Awards. During this time, he also starred in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012). He voiced a character in the animated film Epic (2013).

After The Hunger Games, Josh worked on independent films. On TV, he starred in the Hulu comedy series Future Man from 2017 to 2020. He also voiced the main character in the animated series Ultraman (2019–2023). More recently, he starred in the successful horror film Five Nights at Freddy's (2023). He also appeared in the action film The Beekeeper (2024).

Josh has always been interested in making movies. He has been an executive producer for films like Detention (2011) and Escobar: Paradise Lost (2015). He also acted in these films.

Early Life and Beginnings

Josh Hutcherson was born on October 12, 1992, in Union, Kentucky. His mother, Michelle, helps with his career. His father, Chris, works for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Josh has a younger brother named Connor, born in 1996.

Discovering Acting

Josh became interested in acting when he was very young. He loved the entertainment industry from age four. His father said Josh always wanted to perform for people. His mother thought it was just a phase.

When he was eight, Josh looked through the yellow pages to find an acting agency. In 2002, he and his mother met an acting coach. The coach told them to go to Los Angeles for auditions. Before this, Josh had only been in a commercial and a training film. For three years, Josh and his mother lived in Los Angeles. They stayed in a place where many young actors and their families lived.

School and Sports

Josh spent most of his childhood on film sets. He attended New Haven Elementary School until age nine. After that, his mother homeschooled him. He later went to Ryle High School in Kentucky for one semester.

Josh played on the high school's soccer team. He loves sports, including football and tennis. At 13, he even did a triathlon. He once said he didn't like getting up early for school. He felt he could learn things more easily on his own.

Career Highlights

Early Roles (2002–2010)

After moving to Hollywood in 2002, Josh appeared in many TV commercials. His first big acting role was in a TV pilot called House Blend. He also had small parts in shows like ER. In 2003, he played the main role in the TV film Miracle Dogs. He also starred with Peter Falk in Wilder Days.

Josh's first feature film was American Splendor in 2003. In 2004, he helped create the character of Young Hero Boy in The Polar Express. He used motion-capture for the character's movements. He also voiced Markl in the animated film Howl's Moving Castle.

Josh at the premiere of Cirque du Freak in 2009

In 2005, Josh appeared in several Hollywood movies. He had a small role in Kicking & Screaming. He then played a lead role in Little Manhattan. Next, he starred in Jon Favreau's Zathura: A Space Adventure. He enjoyed filming this movie because of the special effects and stunts. He won a Young Artist Award for his role in Zathura.

In 2006, Josh appeared in the comedy RV. He played the son of Robin Williams' character. Josh found it hard to focus because Robin Williams made him laugh so much.

Breakthrough Roles (2007–2010)

Josh's big breakthrough as a child actor came in 2007. He played Jesse Aarons in the fantasy drama Bridge to Terabithia. The movie was filmed in New Zealand. Josh said it was an amazing experience with beautiful beaches and forests. He won his second Young Artist Award for this film.

His next role was in Firehouse Dog (2007). He played Shane Fahey, a firefighter's son who becomes friends with a dog. Critics liked Josh's performance in the film.

Josh at the 2010 New York Film Festival

In 2008, he appeared in Winged Creatures with Dakota Fanning. They played two friends who survive a terrible event. He also starred in Journey to the Center of the Earth. This was a 3D film based on a famous novel. Josh played a teen who travels to Iceland with his uncle, played by Brendan Fraser.

Over the next two years, he appeared in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant. He played a boy who visits a freak show. He also had a supporting role in the acclaimed film The Kids Are All Right. He played the son of a lesbian couple. Josh was grateful to be in this film. He liked the creative freedom that independent films offer. The film won a Golden Globe Award in 2010. It was also nominated for Best Picture at the 83rd Academy Awards.

The Hunger Games and Beyond (2011–2015)

On April 4, 2011, Lionsgate announced Josh would play Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games series. He starred alongside Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. Josh really wanted the role and felt he understood the character. He had to change his hair and gain weight for the part.

Jennifer Lawrence, a close friend, praised his acting. She said he brought charm and kindness to Peeta. Josh was known for playing pranks on set. Once, Jennifer accidentally kicked him in the head while playing, causing a minor injury.

Josh and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island co-star Vanessa Hudgens in Sydney in January 2012

The first film, The Hunger Games, came out on March 23, 2012. It became one of the highest-grossing films that year. Josh won the MTV Movie Award for "Best Male Performance". He also received the "Next Mega Star" award from NewNowNext Awards.

Before The Hunger Games was released, Josh was an executive producer for two films. These were Detention (2011) and The Forger (2012). In Detention, he played a popular teenager. In The Forger, he played a 15-year-old orphan.

He returned as Sean Anderson in the 2012 sequel, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Josh likes to work on all kinds of movies. He said it was cool to go from an independent film to a big studio film. Although critics didn't love the film, it did well at the box office.

In 2013, Josh voiced Nod in the animated film Epic. This film was very successful. For The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, he trained five hours a week. This sequel earned $420 million in North America. Josh won his second MTV Movie Award for "Best Male Performance" for this role.

Josh with co-star Jennifer Lawrence at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con promoting The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

On November 23, 2013, Josh hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live. His performance received mixed reviews.

Josh played Peeta Mellark again in the two-part Mockingjay film adaptation. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 was released in November 2014. Part 2 followed in November 2015. His character changed a lot in these films, which was a challenge for him. He said he was nervous about showing Peeta's new personality.

Before filming the Mockingjay movies, Josh filmed Escobar: Paradise Lost. This was a French-Spanish thriller released in 2015. He also served as an executive producer for this film. He helped with casting and planning shots. Josh said this experience made him want to do more behind-the-scenes work.

Recent Work (2016–Present)

After The Hunger Games series ended, Josh acted in independent films. He also produced several short films. In 2017, he directed his first short film, Ape. He also directed music videos for West Coast Massive and Foster the People. He had supporting roles in three films directed by James Franco. These included In Dubious Battle (2016) and The Disaster Artist (2017).

In November 2017, Josh began starring in the science fiction comedy series Future Man on Hulu. The show ran for three seasons, ending in 2020. In 2019, he starred in the thriller film Burn. He also started voicing Shinjiro Hayata in the Netflix anime Ultraman (2019–2023).

He appeared in the 2022 film Across the River and Into the Trees. He also starred with Morgan Freeman in the 2023 science fiction thriller 57 Seconds.

In October 2023, Josh starred as Mike Schmidt in the film Five Nights at Freddy's. This movie is based on the popular video game series. The film was a big success at the box office. Josh has mentioned that a sequel is being planned.

Josh also appeared as Derek Danforth in the Jason Statham action film The Beekeeper, released in January 2024. In late 2023, a fan-made video of Josh from 2014 became very popular online. It featured images of him with the song "Whistle" by Flo Rida. Josh himself acknowledged this trend.

Personal Life

Josh looks up to actors like Jake Gyllenhaal and Philip Seymour Hoffman. He admires their career choices and acting skills.

Josh has been in a relationship with actress Claudia Traisac since 2013. He divides his time between Los Angeles, California, and Madrid, Spain. In 2012, he bought a house in Laurel Canyon, Hollywood Hills. He believes fame has not changed him. He loves his job and feels lucky to do what he enjoys.

Supporting Equality

Josh is a strong supporter of the LGBT community. He actively supports the "Straight But Not Narrow" campaign. This group encourages young straight people to support their LGBT friends. Josh's involvement comes from his family. He had two uncles who were gay.

In April 2012, he received the Vanguard Award from GLAAD. This award is given to people who promote equal rights for LGBT individuals. He also received the Young Humanitarian Award in 2015. Josh has said he considers himself "mostly straight" and doesn't like to be limited by labels.

In 2014, Josh started the "Power On" campaign. He worked with The Trevor Project and Human-I-T. This campaign helps young LGBT people in rural areas connect with others. It does this by donating old computers and cell phones to LGBT resource centers. Josh started the campaign by donating one of his own old computers.

From 2012 to 2014, he hosted the "Josh Hutcherson Celebrity Basketball Game" in Los Angeles. This event raised money and awareness for the "Straight But Not Narrow" campaign. In November 2013, Josh and Queen Latifah presented awards at the TeenNick HALO Awards. They honored young community volunteers.

Filmography

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

Josh at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con promoting The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2003	American Splendor	Robin
2004	Motocross Kids	TJ
	Polar Express, TheThe Polar Express	Young Hero Boy	Additional motion capture only
2005	One Last Ride	Joey
	Kicking & Screaming	Bucky Weston
	Howl's Moving Castle	Markl (voice)	English dub
	Little Manhattan	Gabriel "Gabe" Burton
	Zathura: A Space Adventure	Walter Budwing
2006	RV	Carl Munro
2007	Bridge to Terabithia	Jesse Aarons
	Firehouse Dog	Shane Fahey
2008	Winged Creatures	Jimmy Jaspersen
	Journey to the Center of the Earth	Sean Anderson
2009	Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant	Steve "Leopard" Leonard
2010	Kids Are All Right, TheThe Kids Are All Right	Laser Allgood
	Third Rule, TheThe Third Rule	Chuck	Short film
2011	Detention	Clapton Davis	Also executive producer
2012	Journey 2: The Mysterious Island	Sean Anderson
	Hunger Games, TheThe Hunger Games	Peeta Mellark
	7 Days in Havana	Teddy Atkins
	Forger, TheThe Forger	Joshua Mason	Also executive producer
	Red Dawn	Robert Kitner
2013	Epic	Nod (voice)
	Hunger Games: Catching Fire, TheThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire	Peeta Mellark
2014	Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, TheThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1	Peeta Mellark
2015	Escobar: Paradise Lost	Nick Brady	Also executive producer
	Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, TheThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2	Peeta Mellark
	The Rusted	Max	Short film Also executive producer
2016	In Dubious Battle	Vinnie
2017	Ape	Travis Wilker	Short film Also director
	The Disaster Artist	Philip Haldiman
	Tragedy Girls	Toby Mitchell
2018	Elliot the Littlest Reindeer	Elliot (voice)
2019	Burn	Billy
2022	Across the River and into the Trees	Jackson
2023	57 Seconds	Franklin Fausti
	Five Nights at Freddy's	Mike Schmidt
2024	The Beekeeper	Derek Danforth
	Long Gone Heroes	David
2025	Five Nights at Freddy's 2	Mike Schmidt	Post-production
TBA	The Long Home	Nathan Winer	Unreleased
	Littlemouth	TBA	Post-production

Television

Music videos

Awards and Nominations

Josh Hutcherson has received many awards and nominations throughout his career. Early on, he was nominated for eight Young Artist Awards, winning four of them. For The Kids Are All Right (2010), he and the cast were nominated for "Best Cast" or "Best Ensemble" by several groups.

For The Hunger Games, Josh and his co-stars were nominated for ten awards. They won eight, including "Breakthrough Performer of the Year" and "Next Mega Star".

State Honors

Josh Hutcherson has been given the title of a Colonel of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This is a special honor given by the state.

See also

In Spanish: Josh Hutcherson para niños