The long anticipated feature film adaptation of author Stephenie Meyer’s “The Host” is now ready to begin shooting in February, 2012. Casting directors are holding auditions in Los Angeles and Louisiana for co-starring and supporting roles. Casting will also take place in New Orleans and Baton Rouge for day player roles, extras, stand-ins, and photo-doubles for the film’s stars. “The Host” novel was a #1 New York Times Best Seller, and remained on the list for 26 weeks.
“The Host” is a Sci-Fi Thriller that introduces an alien race, called Souls, which takes over the Earth and its inhabitants. Melanie “Mel” Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) is one of the only rebel humans left after the invasion of the “souls”. After insertion into a human body, alien souls erase the human occupant and establish claim over the body and mind. Wanderer is a soul who has lived on eight other planets previously, Mel being her ninth body host. Upon insertion into Melanie, Wanderer is overwhelmed by the vividness of human memories, emotions and senses and quickly learns that she has not established full claim over Melanie’s mind. The title “The Host” comes from the perspective of the main character, Wanderer, because her “host” Melanie forever changes the way she sees the world.
Also starring in “The Host” is Bradley Steven Perry as Jamie Stryder, Melanie’s younger brother. Perry stars in the Disney Channel hit series “Good Luck Charlie” and has appeared in the Disney movies “Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure” and “Old Dogs”. Max Irons plays Jared Howe and Jake Abel portrays Ian O’Shea – the two characters that vie for the love of Malanie Stryder, ala Team Jacob and Team Edward. Irons recently had a supporting role in “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke’s “Red Riding Hood”. Abel is best known for “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” for which he was nominated for an MTV Movie Award and Teen Choice Award. Academy Award winner William Hurt rounds out the currently cast roles, playing Melanie’s eccentric uncle Jebediah “Jeb”. Several additional co-starring roles are up for grabs.
Academy award nominated Andrew Niccol will direct “The Host” from an adapted screenplay that he wrote himself. His writer/director credits include Academy Award nominated “Gattaca,” “The Truman Show” which was nominated for three Academy Awards, “The Terminal,” “Lord of War” starring Nicolas Cage, and “In Time” starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried.
Paula Mae Schwartz, Roger Schwartz, and Steve Schwartz will produce “The Host” for Chockstone Pictures, which was founded in 2004 by the husband-and-wife team of Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz, who are also the founders of a technology marketing agency called Schwartz Communication. Nick Wechsler is producing for his company Nick Wechsler Productions. Stephenie Meyer will also produce. Executive producers are Jim Seibel and Bill Johnson of Inferno Entertainment, along with Claudia Bluemhuber of Silver Reel, and Marc Butan.
Open Road Films has acquired domestic distribution rights to “The Host”. Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films stated, “Nick Wechsler is a terrific producer and a long time friend and we are honored to be working with Nick and Stephenie, and the wonderful minds of Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz, to bring this epic story of hope to the big screen”. Open Road Films recently signed a deal with with AMC and Regal movie theater chains to carry all of their films. Regarding Open Road Films, Stephenie Meyer’s stated, “I’m thrilled to be adding another fantastic partner to an already amazing group. Everyone involved has so much passion for the project. It really is a dream team”.
Principal photography on “The Host” will begin on February 13, 2012 in Louisiana. The film and is scheduled to hit theaters on Easter weekend March 29, 2013 – less than six months after “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” is released in theaters.
Principal Actor Casting
See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.
Please submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.
Los Angeles:
Mindy Marin
Casting Artists, Inc.
Bluewater Ranch
1433 Sixth Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
New Orleans
Meagan Lewis
RPM Casting
Second Line Stages
800 Richard Street
Suite 225
New Orleans, LA 70130
Baton Rouge:
Meagan Lewis
RPM Casting
9215 Interline Avenue
First Floor
Baton Rouge LA 70809
Extras Casting
Baton Rouge:
Meagan Lewis
RPM Casting
9215 Interline Avenue
First Floor
Baton Rouge LA 70809
Crew Members
New Orleans and Baton Rouge:
Experienced film crew can submit a resume to the following:
Production Companies:
Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies, as they will most likely end up being thrown away. They do not cast the films, rather they hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.
Host Productions, LLC
9215 Interline Avenue
2nd Floor
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Chockstone Pictures
22355 Carbon Mesa Rd
Malibu, CA 90265
Inferno Entertainment
1888 Century Park East
Ste 1540
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Nick Wechsler Productions
1437 7th Street
Suite 250
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Producers:
Nick Wechsler
Steve Schwartz
Paula Mae Schwartz
Roger Schwartz
Marc Butan
Jim Seibel
Bill Johnson
Stephenie Meyer
Writer/Director:
Andrew Niccol
Starring:
Saoirse Ronan – Melanie Stryder
Bradley Steven Perry – Jamie Stryder
Max Irons – Jared
Jake Abel – Ian O’Shea
William Hurt – Jeb
Story:
Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn’t expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves – Jared (Max Irons), a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body’s desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she’s never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.