This year, Kyle Gallner's days could be numbered. To kick things off, the 22-year-old actor plays cancer patient Matt Campbell, who, along with his family, encounter a malevolent presence in his new house in Lionsgate's paranormal thriller, The Haunting in Connecticut. Yet even if he survives this harrowing experience, Gallner must still contend with a cannibalistic cheerleader in 20th Century Fox's Jennifer's Body. Best known as the speedster Bart Allen in Smallville and the troubled Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas in Veronica Mars, the talented up-and-comer recently spoke exclusively with FEARnet about his inauguration into the horror genre. Hit the jump to read what Gallner had to say!

Note: After reading this interview, be sure to read what Kyle told us about the part he's up for in the upcoming Nightmare on Elm Street remake!

Do you consider yourself a horror fan?

Yeah, I am. I enjoy being scared. I think that's fun. I'm more partial to certain horrors than others.

So what reeled you in about the script for Haunting in Connecticut?

The thing with horror movies, especially recently, is a lot of them are these torture flicks. Everybody is getting cut up and bloody, which is fun for a little bit. I've indulged in one or two of those, but to do a horror movie, it has to be new and unique. This movie has two different stories that could almost stand alone on their own. There's the family drama mixed in with a supernatural dynamic. There's a lot of real life and spooky stuff going on so I like how they balanced it out. You actually feel for these characters. It's just a really good movie that is very story-driven and goes back to the times of Poltergeist or The Exorcist, where films were scary.

Did having it based on a true story add some credibility for you?

It adds credibility to the movie as a whole. It makes it more interesting and scarier because you think, "Oh God! That could happen to me!"

Did you do any research into what actually happened to that family?

I watched a documentary and there is a transition between true story and script. There are factors involved so they had to change the story around a little bit. There are specific things from the documentary that are definitely in the movie that people will recognize. There was enough in there that I made the script my bible and went with it.

When Matt and his family move into their new home, what's the first indication something is amiss?

My character Matt starts seeing this boy Jonah, but the problem is before we really establish anything strange is going on, I'm undergoing an experimental cancer treatment where there's a tendency to hallucinate. However, if I hallucinate, they are going to take me off the treatment. This is my last chance so I don't say anything for a while thinking it's just the treatment. Things start getting out of hand and affecting other people in the house. It starts to become real, which is when they realize something is going on.

How grueling was it doing the séance sequence?

It's a weird thing when you are sitting there and it's like "Andddd….Go!" You are being taken into this alternative place and are freaking out because you are supposed to be seeing all these things but in reality, I'm just closing my eyes and breathing really deep. It was pretty intense.

What went into all those weird markings on your body?

That was two hours of three special make-up artists writing all over me and then going over it with fake blood. It was a long process sitting in a chair. We only had to go that extreme one day, but as the movie went on, the make-up got more and more intense. And because I am supposed to be in cancer treatment, I'm cut up with scars on top of being covered in ash and soot. There were a couple of times where we had done all the make-up and they had to switch the shot around. Then they'd be like, "You can go home." I'm like "Oh man! Crap!" I'd walk back to the trailer with the make-up artist with our heads hanging low.

Stepping into this genre, did you find it challenging as an actor?

Yeah, horror is a totally different animal. It's intense. You can do drama or comedies, but in horror, you really have to trick yourself into believing a lot of unbelievable phenomena. They would be "Look to the left," and I was like, "Why?" When I saw the movie, I realized why, because they inserted images there. It's definitely a workout to constantly be in fear and on edge. I worked everyday for almost two months and I was exhausted.

With Candyman and The Prophecy, Virginia Madsen, has been down this supernatural route before. How was it co-starring with her?

Virginia was great, and one of the coolest people I've ever met in my life. I would work with her again in a second. She's super nice and knows her stuff. I was really nervous going into this, because I'd never done a big movie before. I got to the set and was like, "I'm in so much trouble!" She immediately took me, Amanda Crew and everyone under her wing, and made me feel very comfortable right from day one. I knew this was going to be awesome.

Haunting in Connecticut doesn't just occur over one night. So if you, Kyle Gallner, were stuck in this house, how long would it take before you bolted?

Well, if I wasn't going through the same situation as Matt and saw something, I'd be packed up and gone in thirty seconds. There's no way I'd hang around. No thank you!

Besides Haunting in Connecticut, you have Jennifer's Body out in the fall. What made you want to do two horror movies back-to-back?

Jennifer's Body is an interesting fusion of horror, comedy, and drama. It's really all over the board. The character I get to play, Colin, is not a huge role, but an interesting part. For me, it was a total character piece. You might not even recognize me right away. I have jet black hair and piercings. I play this small town Goth kid, so it was cool to flex the old acting muscle to create an interesting character. And the script was fun, so I think it's going to be a good movie.

Thanks to a ritual, Jennifer becomes possessed. What kind of interaction does she have with Colin?

I don't want to give too much away, but I have a crush on her and ask Jennifer if she wants to hang out. This is after she's gone over the edge and is crazy. She takes me in and has plans for good old Colin. [Laughs.]

I guess it's a safe bet there's more make-up special effects involved.

Yes, there's certainly stuff that happens!