Liam Hemsworth says he's living 'in the now' and 'much happier' - Los Angeles Times

Liam Hemsworth appears to be sitting on the top of the world these days, with "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" poised to kill at the box office and his broken engagement to Miley Cyrus fading in the rear-view mirror.

Liam, at 23 the younger of the two acting Hemsworth brothers (Chris, 30, is best known for playing Thor and generally being hunky — and married) moved to L.A. from Australia when he was a mere 18.

"Over the last five years I've learned so much," Liam Hemsworth told the Associated Press. "The first few years in L.A. were really tough and scary, but I had to figure things out for myself."

Part of figuring things out included proposing to Cyrus, whom he met while working on the 2010 flick "The Last Song" and got engaged to ^[1] in June 2012. Things unwound officially this past September, with Hemsworth caught on camera smooching ^[2] Mexican actress and singer Eiza Gonzalez only days after the split was announced.

"What I always keep in mind is that I know what the truth is and that's all that matters," he says of his tabloid-fodder relationship and breakup with Cyrus. "I know I'm a good person."

Earlier this month he told "Extra" he was "extremely happy"^[3] for his ex's success in the wake of her recent headline-grabbing tear through the entertainment universe, and noted that he didn't "have a lady at the moment."

Maybe he just needs some time for himself? Though one woman appears to have been very key to his happiness.

"For a few years I went down a path where I forgot to be in the moment and enjoy the moment," he told AP. "But being around someone like ["Games" costar Jennifer Lawrence], who is so honest and laughs all day long, I am forced to be in the right now. I'm much happier."

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"^[4] is now in theaters.

ALSO:

Leonardo DiCaprio donates $3 million to benefit wild tigers ^[5]

Kanye West is taken down by Zappos' secret weapon: humor ^[6]

Ellen DeGeneres aims to power up Christmas for Toys for Tots kids ^[7]

Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter ^[8] and Google+^[9] . Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs ^[10] and on Facebook facebook.com/ministryofgossip ^[11] .