Peeta Mellark

Peeta Mellark
The Hunger Games character
Peeta Mellark as portrayed by Josh Hutcherson in the 2014 film, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1.
First appearance	The Hunger Games
Last appearance	Mockingjay
Created by	Suzanne Collins
Portrayed by	Josh Hutcherson
Information
Nickname(s)	The Boy with the Bread (by Katniss) Lover Boy (by the Career Pack) The Boy on Fire (by the Capitol) The Bakers Son (by Caesar Flickerman)
Gender	Male
Occupation	Artist Baker
Title	Victor of the 74th Hunger Games (with Katniss Everdeen) Tribute from District 12 (with Katniss Everdeen)
Family	Mrs. Mellark (mother, deceased) Mr. Mellark (father, deceased) Two unnamed brothers (both deceased)
Spouse(s)	Katniss Everdeen
Children	Unnamed daughter Unnamed son

Peeta Mellark is a fictional character from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. He is portrayed by actor Josh Hutcherson in The Hunger Games film series.

Peeta is the male tribute representing District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games, alongside female tribute Katniss Everdeen (portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence). Together, they defy the rule that the Games may only have one victor, unintentionally inciting a rebellion against the authoritarian government of Panem.

Peeta is first introduced at the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games, when he is selected as the male tribute representing District 12 alongside female tribute Katniss Everdeen. Prior to the reaping, Katniss and Peeta had only interacted once: at age eleven, when Peeta deliberately burned two loaves of bread and took a beating to feed a starving Katniss. Katniss had always felt indebted to him for this kindness, but never worked up the courage to thank him.

During an interview preceding the Games, Peeta admits on national television to having a long-standing crush on Katniss. She assumes this is merely part of his strategy to win favor from wealthy Capitol sponsors.

Once inside the arena, Peeta allies himself with the "Career" tributes and tricks them into believing he will lead them to Katniss. However, after Katniss knocks down a hive of Tracker Jackers on her pursuers, she herself is stung with the insects' venom, rendering her disoriented and vulnerable. Peeta urges Katniss to run and stays to fight fellow tribute Cato while she escapes. He survives the encounter with Cato, but suffers a stab wound in his leg. He camouflages himself into the rocks and flora alongside a riverbank, slowly dying of blood poisoning until Katniss finds him days later.

Following an announcement proclaiming that there can now be two winners, if both originate from the same district, Katniss and Peeta make allies of each other. Katniss realizes that if they play up the love story they may garner viewers' affections. Later a "feast" is announced, in which items that each tribute needs will be placed on a table for them to take, organized by district. Peeta strongly suggests that Katniss does not go, knowing that she will be in danger. She agrees to stay with him but, having received a bottle of sleep syrup from her mentor, she puts him into a drug-induced sleep and seizes the opportunity to slip away to the feast. The medicine gifted to them by the Capitol is strong enough to heal both of their wounds by morning.