Claim: The Hunger Games stars Jennifer Lawrence as a lead.

Katniss Everdeen is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins . Her name comes from a plant with edible tubers called Sagittaria -LRB- katniss -RRB- , from Sagittarius the Archer , whose name means He that throws arrows in Latin . She is portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in the film adaptations The Hunger Games , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 1 , and The Hunger Games : Mockingjay -- Part 2 .   Katniss and her family come from District 12 , a coal-mining district that is the poorest and least populated district in the dystopian fictional autocratic nation of Panem . In the course of the first book , The Hunger Games , Katniss volunteers to replace her sister , Primrose `` Prim '' Everdeen , after she is reaped -LRB- chosen -RRB- to compete in the Hunger Games , a televised fight to the death .  Katniss , following an alliance with Rue , a young tribute from District 11 who reminded Katniss of Prim but died in the arena , joins up with fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark . The pair compete in the Games together . Katniss uses her knowledge of hunting and archery to survive , and the two become the victors after defying the Capitol 's attempt to force one to kill the other .   Throughout the next two novels , Catching Fire and Mockingjay , Katniss becomes a galvanizing symbol of rebellion against the oppressive Capitol .