MovieChat Forums > The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) Discussion > Wrong Casting Choice for Jace

Wrong Casting Choice for Jace

posted 11 years ago by Sumermine
36 replies | jump to latest

I love this book series. When I heard they were making the movie, I truly hoped that Alex Pettyfer would be cast as Jace. I think he would have been excellent. And apparently the producers/director or whoever agreed, since Alex was the first choice. I'm really disappointed that he turned down the role. I think he would have made the movie 100 times better. Jamie Campbell Bower kind of ruined Jace for me. If City of Ashes is made, I hope they recast Jace. As annoying as recasting is normally, I think it would improve the movie overall.

-Lizzie Belle-

Dude you're confusing porn with reality- Sam Winchester

[–] thewanderingdreamer 11 years ago

Jamie Campbell Bower was a very flat Jace. I expected Jace to be more cocky & arrogant with these smirks that made you want to either slap him or kiss him. Instead Jamie delivered a lot of these lines in a monotone voice. I doubt they'll re-cast him though. He's dating Lily Collins and has Cassandra Clare's approval and while this approval was granted before the movie came out and the decision to recast is the producers and PTB it's not common to recast unless there is a major incident.

"He did scenes where he had to be funny. He did scenes where he had to be romantic. He did scenes where he had to be angry and badass and he pulled that all off amazingly," said Clare. She also believes Bower and Lily Collins ('Clary Fray') have great chemistry and will make fans of the book series believe they are Clary and Jace. "I've gotten lots of headshots and this and that, and I'm watching the audition and I literally started crying because that was my Jace and Clary on the screen," revealed Clare, adding, "And it's an incredible feeling to see that even as an audition." --- http://movies.about.com/b/2011/06/04/mortal-instruments-author-cassandra-clare-comments-on-jamie-campbell-bowers-casting.htm

All I can say is what kind was Cassie Clare smoking and can I get some of that too?

[–] EmJay1982 11 years ago

He's dating Lily Collins

He and Lily broke up last June/July. He's been dating a girl named Olivia Hann for a while now.

[–] larosat 11 years ago

No woman in their tight mind would want yo date a girly wimpy boy unless they're not into men. And thanks op for pointing out the film's biggest flaw.

[–] Romeycash 11 years ago

Jamie Campbell Bower was a very flat Jace. I expected Jace to be more cocky & arrogant with these smirks that made you want to either slap him or kiss him. Instead Jamie delivered a lot of these lines in a monotone voice

That's not his fault. That's on the director. He delivered and performed based on the way he was instructed. So, if someone should be replaced, it should be the writers and director before the actors..

[–] darkdemonpixie 11 years ago

Cassandra Clare thought wrong about the fans believing that Lily and Jamie are Clary and Jace. Most of the fans have an issue with Jamie being Jace. The other have accepted it or actually like him. I am with the fans that say he is not Jace. Jamie lacked cockiness and attitude. And I know people hate to bring this up, but I have to. Jamie is unattractive in my opinion. I think that's what made him lack in Jace's department. Jace is hot and he knows it. Jamie. . . not so much.

I really wish they could recast Jace. I believe that that would bring in more people to watch the movie and for fans to actually like it.

In my opinion, it felt as if Cassandra Clare was trying to force this Jace and Clary on us. She was buttering us up by saying that she cried because that was 'here Jace and Clary'. No it wasn't. It was like she totally forgot what they looked like.

[–] iscaria 11 years ago

I don't blame Alex Pettyfer for turning down the role of Jace. At the time he had just done two other YA movies: "I Am Number Four" and "Beastly." He was probably worried about being typecast as a teen heart-throb. The movie he chose to do instead of COB was "Magic Mike" which I think makes it pretty clear he was trying to distance himself from his teenybopper image and prove that he was an adult. He also went on to play a role in "The Butler" which suggests he is also trying to establish himself as a real actor, not just a hunky star.

[–] Shimmer_Me_Timbers 11 years ago

While I like Alex Pettyfer, he's not a very good actor. So I think him turning down the role was a blessing in disguise.

I like JCB, he wasn't perfect but I think part of that was the writing and direction.

[–] monstermayhem32 11 years ago

I think Jamie was fine for the film.

[–] missrlee33 11 years ago

I think he did a good jace. But when I was reading city of bones I alway saw britt robertson as clary.

[–] SavannahNights 11 years ago

While I find it unbelievable that he's playing a character who is portrayed in the books as being gorgeous, I kind of liked him as Jace. Imo, it's the writers who were the real problem, some of the plotlines were confusing (such as the neighbour, until I read the book I didn't understand her personality change and why Clary's mother and Jace didn't realize that she was a demon. If it was explained in the movie, I missed it) and they portrayed the characters as idiots by having them wait until the demons unfroze before trying to kill them. If City of Ashes does happen, I hope it's them that gets replaced.

[–] invisibleink405 11 years ago

I liked him as Jace...he is not as good looking as the books describe, but I thought he delivered the sarcasm, one liners and arrogance great. I thought Lily was horrible. Can't remember the guys name but the one who played Simon was great and I don't like Simon in the books much at all.

[–] Scootinbabe 11 years ago

Personally, I think Jamie is perfect NAND can't imagine anyone else in the role.

[–] larosat 11 years ago

Hahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahaha
Seek help please.

[–] Kassi_Nova 10 years ago

Nope- totally agree. I couldn't imagine anyone else as Jace either. Sorry but Alex Pettyfer, while attractive, is too mainstream attractive. Jace wasn't ever supposed to be just "some attractive dude". He was meant to be uniquely attractive- striking. And I think JCB is that to a t- and played the role very well.

[Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof.]

[–] monie40869 11 years ago

Dang. People in here are going hard on Bower as Jace. He looks like a skinny, teenaged kid. Isn't that who the movie is supposed to appeal to? I will admit, he could gain some weight, but trust me, if he's just in his 20's, the weight will come soon enough. Then everyone will be saying he's fat.

My daughter loves him.

[–] mycellardoor24 11 years ago

People are hard on him because expectations for the guy playing this role were exceptionally high. JCB is a good actor - I liked his snark in the movie, however he did not cut it. Jace is not described as, "Attractive in a weird way, hot in an unconventional manner," he's angelic. Painfully good looking. JCB is...not.

For people who have read the entire series, they'll know that Jace being STUNNINGLY good looking isn't just a nice footnote - it's a big deal, concerning plot and...stuff. It's like dismissing the fact that Harry Potter has green eyes and carrying on showing Radcliffe's blues. It's an important factor that they have overlooked.

Cassandra Clare obviously approved of him, but it's no secret he was not her choice. He IS odd looking. Jace is not. It's really not a matter of interpretation or beauty being in the eye of the beholder.

Jace is incredibly beautiful...JCB is not. Y'all should have been around when he was first cast. THAT was some uproar.

Also, please don't think I'm a CC fan girl - I had low expectations for the film, but one expectation I had was that Jace was going to be hot. He was the reason (aside from Magnus and Alec of course) that I pushed on through TMI. I deserved my jaw droppingly, ovary explodingly hot Jace.

___"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. Except for trolls."____