Max Irons and Jake Abel come together in the sci-fi adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s novel The Host — and they weren’t afraid to go straight to the source for acting advice. “I went up to [Meyer] and basically said, ‘Am I taking [my character] Jared in the right direction?’” Irons told uInterview in an exclusive interview. “She created the guy, she would know best.”

English actor Irons first gained attention in the U.S. for his role as Henry in Catherine Hardwicke’s remake of Red Riding Hood, alongside star Amanda Seyfried. Irons is also wrapping up production for his role as King Edward IV of England for the television series The White Queen. Co-star Abel’s first television role was in the Disney Channel movie Go Figure. Abel was also a regular on the web series Angel of Death. In 2010, he played Luke Castellan in the film adaptation of Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

So what would the actors do if they had to “host” the other in their bodies? “Strip naked, walk down the middle of Manhattan,” Abel told uInterview.

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User KateyFeng
Q: Which scene was the most emotionally challenging to shoot? - KateyFeng

JAKE: The most emotionally challenging for me was, fans of the book will probably know, the 'You’re Not Leaving Me' scene with Ian and Wanda. That was a heart-breaking scene and a hard film to shoot. MAX: And that was your final scene to shoot right? JAKE: No, that was the date scene. This one was the ‘I’m in a cave, you’re not leaving me!’ MAX: My most emotionally challenging scene was when I first encountered Wanda. When Melody comes back to the cave. It’s the scene basically where I had to slap her. I was scared about it and I didn’t know if I wanted it to be in the film. But it kind of became a microcosmic example of Jared and Melody's struggle in the film.

User KateyFeng
Q: What are some nicknames you call Saoirse by and why? - KateyFeng
User KineHaug
Q: We already know that some aliens raise human children in the movie. Do you think this will be a part of the plot in the sequel? - KineHaug

MAX: I would just like to point out the fact that we have been doing interviews for four weeks and you’re the first person to ask us that question and I think it’s a really interesting question. It changes the sentiment of the aliens dramatically. We don’t know anything about what happens in the sequel. As much as we’d love to know, she [Meyer] won’t give anything away.

User buttjaw
Q: If Max was Jake's host, and Jake Max's host; what would be the first thing that they did in each other's bodies? - buttjaw

JAKE: Strip naked, walk down the middle of Manhattan. MAX: Uh, I can'€™t really beat that. Yeah, I'€™d just deeply humiliate him in some way.

User Uinterview User
Q: This is a Stephenie Meyer book. Did you get to talk to her at all about your characters? - Uinterview User

JAKE: Yeah, I mean she was on set as often as she could be. But she'€™s really sort of a ghost on set. She kind of hangs out behind video village. If you want to go find her you can and you can go talk to her, but she'€™s not rushing to the set to say you'€™ve done something wrong. She sort of gave us the keys to the castle pretty early on in filming. I know Max went up to her early on. MAX: Yeah, I went up to her and basically said, '€˜Am I taking Jared in the right direction? Am I getting him right?' She created the guy, she would know best. But she said, 'Yes, we trust your interpretation, we trust your instincts. Go and inhabit the character,'€™ which was a boost of confidence and made the pressure evaporate.

User Uinterview User
Q: Max, you learn to drive for the movie — how did that go? Jake, how’s Max’s driving? - Uinterview User

MAX: I had two lessons, two lessons and they put me on the street driving. There were children walking around. I could'€™ve killed someone. But apparently that's part of the Louisiana State law. But yeah, there was one day I had to drive on a sort of dirt tracks, skidding around the corners, kicking up dust and it was all fun and games until Saoirse and Jake were put beside me and I felt very responsible for their future. JAKE: No seat belts either. MAX: I think Jake was crying. He tried to hide it. JAKE: I had sunglasses so you couldn'€™t tell. But I was very impressed, I have to say. It was this clapped out truck that had no power steering, and I probably would have tipped it. So kudos. MAX: There was one time we were hanging out and I think I drove directly into traffic. I was confused. JAKE: Yeah, his driving on the streets is a bit scary.