GIVEN the unique, intimate filming style of "Cloverfield," the filmmakers sought out actors who were not instantly recognizable faces. Reeves and Abrams assembled a diverse group of gifted young actors: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T. J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, and Odette Yustman. It was a strategy Abrams had used with great success before when he helped spark the careers of such actors as Keri Russell, Jennifer Garner, Scott Speedman, and Evangeline Lily.

"The key to casting this movie well was to cast really great, talented, likeable people that you hadn’t seen before," Abrams says. The main reason, says director Matt Reeves, is that "even though we were doing a very large-scale monster movie, we were doing it in a very independent way. And that necessitated us purposely bringing in people we didn’t recognize."

Question: What was the casting process like on a movie shrouded in such secrecy?

Lizzy Caplan: "When we got in there we were given a scene that gave us the impression that it was a coming-of-age ‘Reality Bites’ kind of movie, with people bickering about their relationships at a party. Then for the call-backs we were given a scene that took place in France where we pumping each other full of adrenalin to the heart. So we had no idea what was going on. After that scene they asked us what we thought was going on; we gave our guesses and they just laughed at us. They loved the secrecy thing."

Michael Stahl-David: "For my final call-back, I remember JJ saying that the script wasn’t working so he went and rustled up a monologue. He just went ahead and wrote it there and then! It was a page-and-a-half."

T.J. Miller: "Mine was a little different, because I had a meeting after Paramount saw me doing stand-up comedy in Aspen. I explained who I was and what it is that I do and they said that they had this project, which they thought I was perfect for, but I couldn’t know anything about it; they didn’t have a script. When I came in, they gave me this long heartfelt monologue, and when I read it I thought ‘Did they not listen to me; do they have me confused with someone else!’ They liked it and then said, ‘Actually we’ve given you the wrong piece!’ So they gave me a more hyper-active monologue, from a character more like the one that I play. Little did we know that it was going to be a game-changing, genre-transcending monster movie."

LC: "Amen! And also, TJ and I got to do our call-backs together, which were great, because the stuff we were reading was really weird. So we just had fun and we writhed around on the ground! Oh, no, that wasn’t the audition!"

T.J. M: "I think they were interested in Lizzy and me, because we’re both adept at comedy. And when we got together, I felt that she was the only person I auditioned with; she was someone else who realized how weird the material was, and did it in a real way. That was very funny – JJ and everybody was laughing."

Q: Is it true that you weren’t given complete scripts even when shooting?

LC: "We had a script, but we weren’t allowed to hold a script in our hands until we’d signed contracts agreeing to do the film, after a brief run down from Matt. "

T.J. M: "I had a conversation with my agents and managers and said, ‘Does anyone know what this is about?’ No-one did. So we decided there was no reason not to take it. So we took the role!"

Q: Did you mention anything to your parents or best friends?

LC: "I didn’t talk to anyone."

T.J. M: "They told us not to, man."

MS: "Look, if it had got out, it could have been traced back to you and then you’d be in trouble. Did you hear what happened to the people who tried to sell pictures of the new Indiana Jones film? They were getting blacklisted, threatened with jail. And also, I think if a lot of the fans who were clamoring for answers found out, it’d ruin it for them."

LC: "And it worked. However lame we thought all the secrecy was; not being able to mention it to friends or family, there were results. People care about this movie because of all the buzz from the internet. "

Q: Were you privy to the filmmakers plan in regards to the teaser trailer and the online interest?

LC: "They told us what they were planning on doing, but I was nervous because I didn’t think you’d be able to sustain the excitement for the movie over five full months. But they did, leaking the right things at the right time."

TJ M: "That’s JJ for you. He and Bad Robot know how to do that. The whole ‘Lost’ franchise is built on a foundation of secrecy and clues and mystery. And that’s great; it makes you trust JJ for sure."

MS: "I heard that there was going to be a trailer with no name, and I thought that was brilliant. Really smart. They were doing the exact opposite of what everyone else does with movies, which is instead of forcing it on the public, they were just showing a little of what was behind the curtain. And it took until today for them to find out."

Q: Is it true that Michael got injured on set?

Odette Yustman: "I think Michael’s injury was the funniest thing that happened."

TJM: "We were doing a scene on the Paramount back-lot and there were lots of extras everywhere doing their stuff. It was the Statue of Liberty head scene and someone knocked over a sign and it fell directly on the head of the star of the movie! He was gushing blood and had to go to the ambulance."

OY: "But it didn’t stop the scene!

MS: Yeah, that was great!"

Q: How involved was JJ day-to-day?

MS: "We didn’t see his day-to-day input but it was definitely there. He was watching dailies and talking to Matt Reeves, giving his input. He visited the set a couple of times, but mostly it was behind the scenes."

OY: "I think he was there when the trailer was being shot, to make sure the style of filming was right and that everything was running smoothly. "

TJM: "He would have been there a lot more, but he’s shooting this little film called ‘Star Trek.’"

Jessica Lucas: "Also, I think he really trusted Matt. He’s got a lot on his mind."

Q: How much room was there for improvisation; Matt encourages that in most of his films?

LC: "There was a script, but they let us go off the page quite a bit. Although Matt would want at least one of the 50 takes we did to be from the original script. But he did give us a lot of leeway, which enabled it to look more like real video footage shot between friends. There’s a real difference between well-performed scenes where you can’t stray one word, and then there’s this faux documentary type thing, which is the only way it really works."

MS: "It was very collaborative and we were encouraged to give our input. The script was great, and there were a lot of comedy moments. But the comedy had to come from reacting truthfully to the events in the moments as they were happening. So that requires a lot of improvisation and Matt did a fantastic job of letting us do that."

Q: What are the challenges as actors of shooting so much handheld stuff?

OY: It’s difficult in that as actors we’re taught to look away from the camera. If you look directly at it you’d usually have to do the scene again. But here we could address the camera; it was amateur footage.

MS: Also the camera wasn’t there to capture your story and see what’s going on in your eyes. It was there as a witness and anything that looked too conveniently shot we couldn’t keep, so it was hard.

TJM: "For me it was hard because I had to be a cameraman and an actor. That was hard, because I was constantly aware of framing, the head-room, the lighting and the camera movement, while trying to play this character, Hud. So that was a totally different experience. Sometimes I had to hold the camera in ways that Hud might not, because there were certain things that had to be expressed. And I didn’t get paid any more for it!"

Q: Do you all feel the film’s important?

TJM: "I do. I think it’s important in the sense that it’s a different movie from others that have been made. That’s always important; it’s how we progress. Also, it’s not a campy wink-wink monster movie, it’s a bit heavier than that. The characters are as important as the effects, and that’s not always the case, where people too often take a backseat to all the CGI."

MS: "It’ll be interesting to see how this film will hold up over 10 years. I think it’ll be one of the most iconic movies of the decades. This style is truthful and it’s going to be copied. And for the YouTube generation in particular."

TJM: "If there’s a message for this movie, it’s that it allows you to go on this unique ride with the characters as they try and make sense of things that don’t make any sense. We’re living in absurd times – there’s not a lot of logic to global politics it seems."

LC: "Everyone wants to put everything online these days. People want to share intimate moments, and that’s what this movie says."

Q: Do you guys have any favorite monster movies, outside your own?"

LC: "’American Werewolf in London.’"

TJM: "’Tremors,’ because that’s as funny and real as it is scary. It’s a great mix of genres."

OY: "The original ‘King Kong.’"

JL: "I think ‘King Kong,’ the new one, is the only one I’ve ever seen!"

TJM: "I also loved ‘The Mist;’ it’s like our movie in that it’s about the people and how they react to this strange situation. Although we have cooler special effects!"