Shadowhunters' Harry Shum Jr. Says #Malec Still Have Trust Issues (Interview)

Harry Shum Jr. is dishing on all things Shadowhunters with JJJ.

We recently caught up with him about that crazy Magnus/Valentine body swap last week.

Of course, we also had to throw in a question about #Malec for good measure.

Shadowhunters airs Mondays at 8/7c on Freeform.

JJJ: How did you prepare to take on Valentine’s personality?

Harry Shum Jr.: Lots of videos and hiding in Alan’s room taking notes tracking all his movements.

JJJ: Did you have a sore throat by the end of filming? Did you have to treat your throat tenderly/specially?

HSJ: Went through 5 bottles of honey and pounds of ginger for the duration of the shoot.

JJJ: Did you run your version of Valentine by Alan and did he correct anything? Or vice-versa?

HSJ: We had a meeting with the director (Billie Woodruff) before we started the episode to capture the tone but we trusted each other to take good care of our characters.

Click inside to read the rest of our interview, plus the #Malec scoop…

JJJ: It seems like Magnus is at risk of being killed for real…

HSJ: Oh the inquisitor wasn’t playing as she was ready to execute Valentine. If Alec wasn’t in the room, it would have been curtains for Magnus.

JJJ: Does the body swap affect Malec in any lasting way?

HSJ: Absolutely.

JJJ: Will there be lingering consequences of the body swap on Magnus’ spirit?

HSJ: Magnus didn’t sign up for this. This body swap was due to him helping the Shadowhunters and I hope that he is able to find help. Magnus is stronger than you think but sometimes even the strong ones need a shoulder to lean on.

JJJ: Does Valentine learn any critical information while in Magnus’s body that will change the future or hurt anyone in a lasting way?

HSJ: I wish that he found some compassion after being in a downworlders body but it seems that nothing could change his ideology and hatred for them. He manipulated some folks that might never know he was not actually Magnus.

JJJ: Is the switch a catalyst for Magnus’s old memories to resurface?

HSJ: It’s a trigger.

JJJ: You’ve alluded to the fact #Malec is going to have a rough time. Are they heading toward a breakup? What may come between them?

HSJ: Yes, no and maybe. Trust has to be earned. Building a strong foundation is essential to any relationship.

JJJ: Which is your favorite romantic relationship on the show?

HSJ: The crazy ones.

JJJ: What’s been your favorite off-screen moment with the cast while filming this second season?

HSJ: Dom and I were doing off screen dialogue for this episode and we were in our regular clothes. I think we had too much caffeine because we were bouncing off the walls. We were playing with all the equipment and just being obnoxious little kids. We’d run around set play fighting and were assigned time out in the corner until we behaved like the adults we are. I can’t confirm if this actually happened or not.

JJJ: What would you do if you were the real-life Magnus Bane for a day?

HSJ: I’d portal behind people and tap them on the shoulder and quickly portal out leaving them confused as hell. With great power comes great responsibility.