Date of Birth
12 December 1992, Union, Kentucky, USA
Birth Name
Joshua Ryan Hutcherson
Nickname
JHutch
Hutch
Height
5' 5" (1.65 m)
Mini Biography
Joshua Ryan Hutcherson was born on October 12, 1992 in Union, Kentucky to Michelle Fightmaster, who worked for Delta Air Lines, and Chris Hutcherson, an EPA analyst. He has one younger brother, Connor Hutcherson. From the age of four, Josh knew that he wanted to be an actor. In order to pursue his goal, Josh and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was nine-years-old.
In 2002, Josh landed his first acting role in the TV film, House Blend (2002), with Amy Yasbeck, Dan Cortese and Sean Faris. The same year, Josh was cast in the pilot, Becoming Glen (2002), but Fox did not order it to series (though, several years later, it was reconfigured as the short-lived series, The Winner (2007), starring Rob Corddry, and co-written/produced by Seth MacFarlane). Toward the end of 2002, Josh appeared on an episode of ER (1994).
Josh made his big-screen debut, in 2003, with a bit part in the Oscar-nominated American Splendor (2003). His career began its measured ascent in 2005 with a supporting slot as one of Will Ferrell's kids in Kicking & Screaming (2005), a co-starring role in the indie hit Little Manhattan (2005), and another co-starring role in Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005), which was originally conceived as a sequel to Jumanji (1995). Despite underperforming at the box office, "Zathura" helped earned for Josh his first Young Artist Award for "Leading Young Actor".
2006 saw bigger returns for Josh's burgeoning film career with a role as one of Robin Williams' sons in the modest hit, RV (2006). The following year, he landed his first breakthrough role in Bridge to Terabithia (2007), the kid-approved adaptation of Katherine Paterson's novel that co-starred AnnaSophia Robb, whose career was also taking off at this time.
Josh starred as Brendan Fraser's nephew in another family-film hit, Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008), and he had a smaller role in the Crash-like drama, Fragments (2008), though by now his face and name were being used in movie-marketing materials. Though it wasn't a hit, Josh's character in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009) served as a major plot device early in the story.
In 2010, Josh co-starred in the critically-acclaimed film, The Kids Are All Right (2010), alongside Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and Mia Wasikowska. The film received several awards and four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Josh's performance as the youngest child in a family, led by two mothers, earned him acclaim from audiences and the industry, alike. Josh followed up with an expanded role in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), which saw Dwayne Johnson take over as the main character from Brendan Fraser. Between the star power and the allure of 3D, the sequel was a worldwide hit and a third installment is in development.
With the announcement that he would portray the beloved "Peeta Mellark" in The Hunger Games (2012), the film adaptation of the best-selling novel written by Suzanne Collins, Josh became an instant celebrity. In the wake of the movie's massive worldwide success, Detention (2011), a horror/comedy that Josh made before "The Hunger Games", was released. Josh was also an executive producer on that feature.
Before Josh reprises his role as "Peeta" in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), we will see him in the long-delayed remake of Red Dawn (2012); the omnibus 7 Days in Havana (2011) (aka "7 Days in Havana") (Josh's segment was directed by Benicio Del Toro); The Forger (2012) opposite Lauren Bacall, Alfred Molina, and Hayden Panettiere; and the animated Epic (2013) from Ice Age (2002) co-director (and voice of "Scrat"), Chris Wedge.
Trivia
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Has one younger brother, Connor Hutcherson.
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His mother, Michelle Fightmaster, is a former Delta Airlines employee, and his father, Chris, is an analyst for the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).
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Good friends with Bridge to Terabithia (2007) co-star, AnnaSophia Robb.
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He has two dogs named Diesel and Nixon.
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Has become good friends with Brendan Fraser since filming Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008).
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Was given a turtle by his Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005) co-star, Kristen Stewart, for his 13th birthday.
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Enjoys playing basketball, rock climbing, and competing in triathlons.
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Close friends with The Hunger Games (2012) co-stars Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth and stuntman Ralf Koch.
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His favorite films include Fight Club (1999), Drive (2011), and Cool Hand Luke (1967).
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Josh has been good friends with The Hunger Games (2012) co-star, Alexander Ludwig, since they were about 12 years old.
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He is a big fan of the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals and credits Rudi Johnson as his favorite player, the University of Kentucky's "Wildcats", MLB's Cincinnati Reds.
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Josh is a highly outspoken supporter in the fight for gay equal rights. In fact, he works closely with the group Straight But Not Narrow, which educates straight young men about gay rights and encourages them to become more understanding and potentially supportive about gay rights.
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He adopted a disabled pit bull puppy, which he named Driver.
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Josh has two cats named Jell-O and Paws.
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His favorite film as a child was The Lion King (1994).
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Has three tattoos: one of a Libra sign on his left wrist, one of an anchor on his right torso side and a pirate ship on his back between his shoulders.
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He was home-schooled by his mother.
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He and Jennifer Lawrence (his co-star from "The Hunger Games" film series) are both natives of Kentucky.
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He has English, as well as Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, and distant Irish and French, ancestry. His mother's maiden name, Fightmaster, originates from German ancestors.
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Has thrown the first pitch at a Cincinnati Reds baseball game.
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Has starred with both Liam Hemsworth and his brother Chris Hemsworth in separate films. Josh worked with Liam in The Hunger Games (2012), The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) & with Chris in Red Dawn (2012).
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Was considered for Peter Parker/Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) before the role went to Andrew Garfield. On June 30, 2010, film website Blue Sky Disney incorrectly reported that Josh had been cast in the role, one day before Andrew's casting was officially announced by the studio. In both the 2010 and 2015 casting cycles for Spider-Man, no actor reported by film websites as being all-but-confirmed for the role has ever ended up actually cast as Spider-Man. The other actors erroneously reported to have been cast are Logan Lerman (in April 2010), Jamie Bell (in early June 2010), Dylan O'Brien (in March 2015), and Asa Butterfield (in May 2015).
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Adopted a blue pit-bull naming him Driver.
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He can speak Spanish.
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Born at 7:45 PM (EDT).
Trademarks:
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Often plays in science fiction & fantasy movies
Quotes
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As an actor, you imagine every single day on set. So, as we already use our imaginations every day anyway, we just have to stretch it out just a little bit farther and imagine that, not only are we different people, but we're in an entirely different world. Sure, it can be hard sometimes, but you just have to use your imagination and rely upon everyone else to give you the right tools you need to make it seem real.
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Every time I read anything, whether it be a book, a script or anything, I automatically imagine myself as the boy in the plot. I don't know why. Seriously, anything, if I'm reading a magazine article or whatever, I picture myself as the kid people are talking about. It's really weird. I don't know why I do that.
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I like both athletic girls and girlie girls. It depends on their personality. I like girls who can go out and play sports with me and throw the football around, but you don't want a girl who's too much tougher than you.
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[About one of his most embarrassing moments] I was on a date with this girl. We were sitting at dinner and I tried to put my arm around her. I was doing the yawn thing where you lift your arms up and try to put your one arm on their shoulder. As I did that, I hit the table and spilled a drink.
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[About Bridge to Terabithia (2007) co-star and good friend AnnaSophia Robb] I don't know how we didn't get sick of each other, to be honest with you. We were together on the set all the time, we were staying in the same room for long periods, and then we were together away from set. I honestly don't know how I dealt with her, but she's a good friend.