Stephenie Meyer’s HOST gets Big Hurt?

Listen up Stephenie Meyer fans, because we have HUGE casting news. As you know, Meyer’s OTHER book, the one that doesn’t have a thing to do with vampires, The Host, is soon to be a major motion picture. Saoirse Ronan of Hannah and The Lovely Bones will star in the dual roles of Melanie Stryder and Wanderer, the alien symbiont who tries to take over the young girl’s body. Now a major actor is circling the very important role of Melanie’s uncle.

Jeb is Melanie Stryder’s wily and wise uncle. He leads human survivors who hide underground in desert caves. He’s crucial to the book and therefor should be a major role in the film. EW reports that actor William Hurt is in negotiations now to portray Uncle Jeb.
Honestly, this is the best young adult novel adaptation casting news I have heard since we learned The Hunger Games‘ Haymitch would be acted this coming March by Woody Harrelson. You don’t want an unknown actor in either role and you need someone with the chops to be utterly convincing. You need pure authenticity and believability. Both characters anchor our female heroes and give them sage advice.
William Hurt has got to be one of the most under appreciated character actors of our time. I’ve never seen him pay something where he wasn’t dead true to the role. He enjoyed a recurring character status not too long ago opposite Glenn Close on Damages. He was downright scary in Mr. Brooks, with Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, and Dane Cook. He was also rightfully nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his insane role as a mobster in A History of Violence.
This casting news comes right on the heels of word that Jake Abel will act as Ian, the highly likable survivor and probably my favorite character in the book. Max Irons will play Jared, Melanie’s boyfriend who Wanderer begins to fall for, too.

--boomtron.com

~Robstenfan