Liam Hemsworth hosts Hunger Games screening for charity

Australian actor Liam Hemsworth helped raise more than $500,000 for charity this week (ends24Nov13) by hosting a special premiere of his new movie The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Miley Cyrus' former fiance and the film's director Francis Lawrence headed to the town of Knoxville, Tennessee on Tuesday (19Nov13) to screen the film and raise funds for a number of good causes in the state.

The premiere at the Regal Pinnacle Cinema was attended by a number of teenagers with special needs, and Hemsworth spent time with the youngsters and posed for pictures with them.

Organiser Carol Fusco says, "The benefit premiere helped raise a record-breaking $558,000. It beat the former record that (the) Twilight premiere raised of $470,000 when Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart attended in 2009. The funds will go to agencies in East Tennessee such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, Second Harvest food bank, and Emerald Youth Foundation Just Lead program and to purchase mobility equipment for special needs kids. It all goes to at risk children and children with special needs."

Hemsworth was also given a special honor during his time in Knoxville as he was presented with a 'Walking Stone', which will be placed in front of Regal Pinnacle Cinema to show he attended a premiere there.

Other stars who have received similar honors there include Jessica Simpson and Taylor Lautner.