Jamie campbell bower mortal instruments shirtless

Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission. Jamie Campbell Bower must have a bit of whiplash now, with how the fan community for The Mortal Instruments has received him.

Shirtless Jamie Campbell Bower from The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.

When he was first cast as Jace, the Shadowhunter demon fighter who falls for the heroine Clary, some fans revolted, even putting out petitions , demanding that he be replaced with Alex Pettyfer , who was originally considered for the part. Campbell Bower chatted with Vulture about his casting backlash, accidental incest, and changing the ending of the first film in a possible TMI franchise, City of Bones.

How did you overcome it? That was one of the things that drew me to it, to turn Jace into a rock star. For too long now, you know, we have seen this stereotypical jock-y — and in my opinion, unrealistic — portrayal of particularly young performers, young actors. And I know — or I think I know! They were into sort of damaged rock stars, damaged goods.

Look at Mick Jagger! And it was time that someone put that onscreen [as a male action hero], and it was one of the things that this job allowed me to do. Whether or not people like it is another thing. Really muscular, but very lean. And I used a mood board of actors or people I wanted him to be like — pictures of a young Johnny Depp, young Heath Ledger, young River Phoenix, those sort of damaged, vulnerable, yet incredibly beautiful young men.

And he also had this very aggressive side, so I put up images of James Hetfield from Metallica and other people like that.