New ‘Shadowhunters’ Audition Videos Surface [Warning: Spoilers]
Warning: Videos contains spoilers for Shadowhunters
While Shadowhunters doesn’t premiere until 2016, filming on the series is ongoing, which means that casting for smaller characters is underway, which also means that audition videos pop-up online. These videos give us an idea of what we can expect from the series and/or a particular role.
Three new videos for the role of Lydia Branwell in Shadowhunters have been posted by a talent studio.
From the looks of the videos, this Lydia Branwell is an envoy of the Clave and has temporarily seized control of the New York Institute. In the second video, Lydia is talking to someone about “settling down.” We know Alec’s going to be arranged-married to a girl from Maryse’s audition sides, we wonder if that girl is Lydia? The third video also appears to be of Lydia talking with Alec.
Shadowhunters premieres in early 2016 on ABC Family.
TMI Source 
Why are they calling him valentin? It’s Valentine!
That might just be the actress’ interpretation of how she thinks the name is pronounced. I am fairly sure in other audition videos I’ve seen that people have pronounced it “Valentine.”
I don’t like this whole arranged marriage thing, but I’m glad they’re referencing The Infernal Devices! And if they’re bringing in new characters at least they have some tie to the books by being from am existing Shadowhunter family.
am i the only one terrible annoyed by the “Alec’s going to be arranged-married” thingy? Why on earth do they change so many things? this is not attractive at all!
You’re not the only one. It’s homophobic and gross. They have literally changed everything. They couldn’t show more disrespect to the fans and the books if they went individually to every fan’s house and punched them in the face.
These aren’t the characters I would watch a Shadowhunters show to see. I don’t care about “Dot” and “Ned Fisk” and “Lydia Branwell” and “Captain Vargas.” I wouldn’t have minded some changes, but there’s nothing left tying this to the books but names and hair color.
The people who still think this is going to be okay are living in a dream world.
I think the whole “arranged marriage” thing will be a good plot device for Alec. Honestly they have to change things because if they made the tv show exactly like the books, it would be boring as crap – mainly because all the book fans know exactly what will happen – and the show would lose viewers because the books are not as conducive to tv. Just think of all the boring episodes we would have. I believe they are trying to stick as close to the books as they can, but they still want a successful show that needs to attract more than just the fans of the book.
Why would I want to watch crappy AU fan fiction of the books I like?
Game of Thrones is very faithful to the books and very popular. The book fans are not bored. Your argument is specious.
In Game of Thrones, the books already have a lot of plot line for the many characters (The books have a lot of things that differ slightly in the tv series. It’s not like it is exactly the same. Please go here for a list of the differences: http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Differences_between_books_and_TV_series ). It looks like the writers of the show are trying to do the same for Shadowhunters. They are trying to expand the stories of all of the characters because the books focus mainly on Clary and Jace (especially early on). No one said anything about “AU fan fiction.” If anything, it might add another dimension to Alec’s character. We don’t know yet because all we can do is speculate at the moment until we see the show. (I could call your argument specious as well considering no one has seen the show yet. We don’t know how the writers will present this situation or how Alec will react to it yet.)
“In Game of Thrones, the books already have a lot of plot line for the many characters (The books have a lot of things that differ slightly in the tv series. It’s not like it is exactly the same. Please go here for a list of the differences: http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Differences_between_books_and_TV_series ). It looks like the writers of the show are trying to do the same for Shadowhunters. They are trying to expand the stories of all of the characters because the books focus mainly on Clary and Jace (especially early on). No one said anything about “AU fan fiction.” If anything, it might add another dimension to Alec’s character. We don’t know yet because all we can do is speculate at the moment until we see the show. (I could call your argument specious as well considering no one has seen the show yet. We don’t know how the writers will present this situation or how Alec will react to it yet.)”
No. Game of Thrones was extremely faithful to the books. So was Outlander. They made exactly the kind of changes that are necessary changes (pacing changes, timing changes, swapping plot lines.) These are huge, pointless, sweeping changes. It is the equivalent of introducing iPhones to Westeros … something they ARE doing in the Shadowhunters show.
No one is saying that it is possible to make an adaptation with no changes. But these are obviously stupid and terrible changes. Would you like to explain why they created three women of color characters and then murdered them, and why that’s a great change? Why is it a great change that their only gay character’s “expanded” plot line is about how he’s going to marry a woman who is improbably Clary’s cousin and has a relationship with “John Blackthorn”, someone we know doesn’t exist, rather than a romance with another man? Why is it a great change that Maryse calls her daughter a slut, basically? Why is that awesome?
Nor is there any evidence they are trying to expand the stories of the other characters, if you mean the other characters in the books. Instead, they are inventing their own characters, and giving all the screen time to them.
We can indeed only speculate. But it is foolishness not to take the horribly written sides that gut and dismiss the existing characters into account. I don’t think you understood why I called your argument specious, either. You argued one must make massive changes that render the source material unrecognizable in order to make a show out of a book. History and other shows are evidence that this is demonstrably not true.
Okay. I am done arguing about this. Alec is not actually going to marry this girl. IT’S A PLOT DEVICE. It is going to hopefully add more character to Alec, because he is only there to be gay in the first couple books (I’m not really happy about it either, but if it gives Alec more personality than I’ll accept it.). They are trying to give him a storyline. I am not talking about the other changes they made. I was not referring to bringing in technology or a more diverse cast. I was merely explaining that the “arranged marriage” aspect is being used as a plot device to aid in character development. You started rambling about something I was not discussing (Although they could be bringing in technology to attract more non-book fan viewers, and the more diverse cast is a good thing. I hadn’t heard they created three new pic characters just to kill them off though.). The changes they are making all work with the facts presented in the book. The clave is old fashioned so it IS conceivable they would have arranged marriages, although not mentioned in the books.
I have not read/ watched Outlander so I can not speak on it, but considering you don’t think they changed Game of Thrones too much, then please look at these articles. As the show has caught up to the books, they have changed. http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/05/20-big-differences-between-the-game-of-thrones-tv.html
http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/game-of-thrones/246959/game-of-thrones-the-15-best-and-11-worst-book-changes
So yes, there have been bad changes to Game of Thrones, but also good ones. We need to wait and see how Shadowhunters turns out before we judge too harshly. And, if you don’t want to do that, then don’t watch the show. I would also like to point out that there have been plenty of successful book-based tv shows that didn’t stay faithful to the books and were huge successes as well (Pretty Little Liars).
I am not going to respond to any more comments on this page though because this is tiring arguing with someone who just seems to be trolling and not willing to give the show a chance.
In GoT, there are many scenes that are recognizably from the books. In fact most are, even if they’re been changed. Having read the pilot for Shadowhunters and all the sides not one contains a single scene, except sort of Pandemonium, that is from the books.
Not. One. Scene. Do you get the difference now?
And would you have the respect for other fans who actually do want to see scenes from the books dramatized not to say that giving us what we want, a faithful and intelligent adaptation with recognizable characters and key scenes, would be boring crap?
I get that you’ve flounced off in a huff because you think everyone should happily accept all the changes the show runners are making because apparently otherwise you’re a troll, but you should maybe consider the viewpoint of readers who aren’t straight. Alec is a very important character to a lot of them, and forcing a gay character into a relationship or marriage with a person of the opposite sex is a very common homophobic plot device. It is an attempt to force a gay man to have more screen time and more relationship talk with a woman than he does with a man. You can see it in Kings. In Empire. In Political Animals. It’s constant, it’s homophobic, and it’s hurtful. You can just go to tumblr to see how many actual gay readers are upset and hurt.
It’s interesting also that you’ve chosen to ignore every other change people have brought up to you, but whatever. Your feeble argument that Game of Thrones started out incredibly faithful and after some years, and literally running out of books, they have made changes, is not convincing considering Shadowhunters is starting out of the gate further from the books than GoT has ever gone.
“Okay. I am done arguing about this. Alec is not actually going to marry this girl. IT’S A PLOT DEVICE. It is going to hopefully add more character to Alec, because he is only there to be gay in the first couple books (I’m not really happy about it either, but if it gives Alec more personality than I’ll accept it.). ”
Alec is not “gay to be gay” (what a gross, homophobic thing to say) in the first books. He’s a brother and a friend and a hero, he kills demons, he frees his parabatai when he’s imprisoned, he has complex and threaded relationships with everyone in his life. He wears holey sweaters and is a control freak and would have a story whether he was gay or not. It is part of his identity, but not all of his identity. There are a million plotlines they could have come up with for this character than don’t involve a fake relationship with a girl.
You seem really homophobic, so maybe you don’t care, but you have no proof Alec won’t marry Lydia. You have no proof this will add to his character and not hers. You seem totally ignorant of most of the changes other fans know about, you are totally ignorant of the fact that there are plenty of faithful to their source material successful shows out there … Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrel, anyone?… and you admit it, so where exactly does your authority come from?
Pretty Little Liars also started out much more faithful to the PLL books than this seems. The only show I can think of that is this unfaithful to its source material is The 100, and it didn’t have a reader fanbase before it started.
Are you really getting mad because some people are ok with the changes they are making? Sounds like you guys don’t have much respect for the part of the fandom that actually is ok with the changes they are making. We get to see the world that we’ve all fallen in love with in greater depth. They have 13 episodes at about 45 minutes per episode to fill. They need to add some stuff.
I love and respect Alec, but to be honest in the first book, he almost seemed like a side character so I get where Morgan is coming from with the whole “there to be gay” thought, however misguided it may be. At that point, he didn’t have much character development yet.
I would also like to say that I’m gay and I have no problem with this arranged marriage yet. Because we don’t know enough about it to complain. We don’t know how they will use this in the show. Don’t attack someone for standing up for their belief, and I agree that I don’t think they will have Alec marry Lydia because on twitter they all seem pro-Malec. I don’t go on tumbler so I don’t exactly know why people are mad about this. If anything, they seem to be changing Maryse’s character a bit. which I’m not sure I like.
“Sounds like you guys don’t have much respect for the part of the fandom that actually is ok with the changes they are making. We get to see the world that we’ve all fallen in love with in greater depth.”
I think we’re all confused by you. You’re not going to see the world you fell in love with in greater depth. It won’t resemble the Shadowhunters world at all, except for a few names. I just assume people who claim they’re okay with these changes havent read the sides and don’t realize how profound and total the changes are. If it didn’t have the title Shadowhunters and the character names, I would not recognize the pilot and sides as an adaptation of these books.
As for what the show runners say on Twitter, they’ll say whatever they have to to get you to watch the pilot.
“You’re not going to see the world you fell in love with in greater depth. It won’t resemble the Shadowhunters world at all, except for a few names. I just assume people who claim they’re okay with these changes havent read the sides and don’t realize how profound and total the changes are. If it didn’t have the title Shadowhunters and the character names, I would not recognize the pilot and sides as an adaptation of these books.
As for what the show runners say on Twitter, they’ll say whatever they have to to get you to watch the pilot.”
I don’t know. I do know that CC said she wanted to keep all minority characters the same and she wouldn’t let them change any of the minority characters to white or straight. I am going to reserve judgement on the show until it airs, but I do have faith the writers will keep the minority and LGBTQ+ characters.
In regard to the stuff they are adding, it could be to draw new viewers who haven’t read the books. From what’s been said already in some of these comments, it looks like they are staying within the parameters of the shadowhunting world. I was reminded by a friend who also reads the books that Henry and Charlotte had a kind of arranged marriage (in the sense it was done more to resolve the debt between their fathers than actual love) so I guess it still kind of makes sense?
I’m just glad we will get to see more of Alec in the first season. I’m not trying to change your opinion, because I do respect the fact that a lot of people probably feel it will be terrible (I have some doubts about it myself). But I am going to try and stay open minded until I have done the 4 episode test. I just don’t like to see my favorite fandom tearing itself apart because of one thing that could be a small detail that Maryse might realize is a bad idea and call off (at least until we’ve seen enough to know we should make a big deal about it).
I did want to ask, can the sides be changed or are they in the final script? Because that could be something they maybe changed? I am just trying to hold out on the hope that they won’t destroy my favorite character and book series.
I’m not 100% thrilled with the “arranged marriage” thing, but are people thinking that Alec is actually going to get married? Because I don’t think it will actually happen, it’s just something that the Lightwoods are expecting to happen–a storyline to add drama, that kind of thing. I’m not a huge fan of this change but I think we have to see the show before knowing for sure how the story will play out. Different doesn’t always equal bad (or good). Maybe we won’t end up liking it, maybe we will, but I don’t think we should automatically decide it’s not worth watching, especially just based on audition tapes and script sides that could potentially be changed or taken out of context.
Not in the least. It’s crap. It’s embarassaing watching people try to defend it. Alec is gay. If you’re going to “arrange” a relationship for him, why is it with a woman? Why is it ok they’ve made up several women of color characters just to murder them? Why are people acting like this is ok?
Well Alec’s parents don’t find out until City of Glass that he’s gay. I’m not 100% happy with this either, but I get that they want to expand some of the characters’ storylines. I just hope he don’t change big important plots or have characters that weren’t in the books become big main characters. I’m also concerned with how they’re mispronouncing Valentine’s name…
And they also mentioned Clary out training with Jace? I hope they’re not trying to rush Clary’s training just so she looks good on screen. I mean, she just discovered the Shadow World! She’s not going to immediately start fighting demons and training! To me, this is an important part of her character development. She doesn’t fully become a Shadowhunter until City of Fallen Angels. The show looks great so far! And I love the cast! I’m just worried about how many changes they’re making and how big they are…
I get what you’re saying (about both of those things), but I don’t think that at this point Alec’s parents know that he’s gay. I think that’s part of why they’ve made up this storyline, to add “tension” to that aspect of his character. I’m not saying that’s a good thing or that it’s a good storyline choice, but I think the reason it’s with a woman is because his family (at least his parents) wouldn’t even assume they should be “setting him up” with a guy. I’m guessing they’re trying to highlight how the shadowhunter community is very conservative in regards to stuff like that. But I haven’t read any of the script sides, so I could be wrong.
What are you talking about? “It’s embarassaing watching people try to defend it. Alec is gay. If you’re going to “arrange” a relationship for him, why is it with a woman? Why is it ok they’ve made up several women of color characters just to murder them?”
First of all, it’s not like Alec is going to end up actually marrying the girl… On twitter the directors and people like them have made it pretty clear Clace, Malec, and Sizzy are endgame relationships. This is just something that will help with character development. It’s a great thing that the writers are trying to give more development to the other major characters besides Jace and Clary.
Second, they changed a few characters who were white to being people of color (Luke, the lightwoods, etc.). Don’t cry racism just because some characters who die are not white….
They have specifically tried to make the cast diverse, so of course there would be some pic deaths. Just like there will be some deaths of white characters as well.
Because Shadowhunters in general don’t talk about being gay..which is why Alec was afraid to tell them. So if his parents didn’t know he was gay why would they arrange a marriage with another guy? That doesn’t make sense.
Okay so the arranged marriage threw me off but , as long as they keep the main and major parts intact, I’m still cool . Some of the tweaks are nice
I was okay with Luke being a cop. With these two cop people coming. with this Lydia Branwell… I was even okay with Clary’s mom being not in the comma …but this arrange marriage thing …i don’t think I’m okay with it.. I mean shadowhunters don’t even focus on things like that… and i know Maryse is kinda a …..ya know, but she would never force her son into an arranged marriage. Never. I’m going to watch the show…but i think it would have been better off as a spin off kinda thing rather than claiming it is the books’ TV show.
If they go through with this arranged marriage, it better be a good plot source for MALEC. Like idk alec almost getting married but Magnus comes and steals him..or Lydia knowing about Magnus and Alec and letting it happen or something…
But i’m still kinda put off by this thing……
They shouldn’t really claim this is based of the books…. cause….its not really …more like a spin off… in my opinion.
Okay, where does this arranged marriage thing come from? This is the first time I hear about it. Is there a Video of Maryse’s audition??
It’s from Maryse’s script sides that are available online
Every time I see sides for a character who is completely made up I want to vomit.
It’s such a joke people acting like they’re going to give expanded screen time to Isabelle and Alec. Every time one of these scenes show up it is obvious that the book characters are underdeveloped and all the screen time is going to these garbage OCs. Crappy AU fan fiction indeed. I’ve read the sides. read the sides and you’ll know. As for the show runners saying Sizzy and whatever is endgame, show runners lie.
I don’t think you guys should sorry too much about the storyline about Alec’s parents wanting to find a girlfriend/potential wife for him. In the first season in the TV series he is like 20-22 years old guy who never dated to their knowledge, so from the audition tapes it looks like Alec’s parents go around and encourage girls to date him or something.. Nothing about actual arranged marriage. Maybe there are sides that say something different, I don’t know. But I think this scenario is very likely to happen given what we know about Lightwoods before Alec came out. Shadowhunters marry young and Jace is probably went around dating girls before he met Clary. Lightwoods got worried about Alec being single and not interested. It would be interesting to see how Alec, Izzy and Jace react to this. Will this encourage Alec to get serious with Magnus? Or will it create more tension between them? What about his crush on Jace?
People need to understand that the writers need to develop some dramatic storylines for all the main characters (not just Clary and Jace, but for Simon, Izzy, Alec and Luke) that would last the whole 13 episodes with some resolution by the end of the season. This is what good TV series does. That’s why we see the leaked storylines about Luke investigating things as a detective, Simon’s mom and Maureen panicking about him “taking drugs”, about Izzy dating around or Alec conflict with his parents. In the first book these guys don’t get much development and presence really, just being sidekicks for Clary and Jace for a limited period of time. I want to have more screen time for Matt and Alberto and the rest.
What I am more worried about is the season’s finale. I would really like for them to come to roughly the same outcome as the ending of the first book. What will they do with the incest storyline? Will Valentine get the cup? Will Hodge betray them and escape?
At the end of the day the success of the show will really depend on how well the actors play out their roles and if they have chemistry. I found that once you get hooked on specific characters the storylines matter less.
THE FIRST SEASON ISN’T THE FIRST BOOK.
What do people not understand about this? Yes, the first book mostly is Clary’s perspective, but as they’ve mashed up the first three books, they can include what happens with Izzy and Alec in the later books without making up this kind of garbage.
In Maryse’s audition, she is very clear about this being an arranged marriage, not a dating scenario. Maryse says she needs to marry off Alec, because no one will marry Isabelle because Isabelle is a slut, according to her.
The finale cannot possibly be anything like the book’s finale. Hodge can’t betray them, he is already not their tutor and not someone they trust. He’s a marked criminal, from his sides. Nothing that happens in the books is going to happen here. It’s weird anyone thinks it might at this point.
Hey, no need to be so negative! As far as I’ve heard they mainly use the first book for Clary’s storyline and add in things from the second book – like Lightwood parents being there, Clave involvement, more downworlder presence (Camile and others), Simon’s family – to bulk up the episodes. The second book is about the inquisitor and Valentine setting up the ritual and then the boat. I have not seen those storylines in the spoilers yet.
As for Maryse – it is not much difference – dating or marriage. It is just something she wants for Alec, does not mean that she will get it 🙂 Though I don’t like the fact that any woman would consider this for her son knowing he is gay. Maryse was always a little cautious and was a total bitch towards Jace at one point in the books, but never stooped so low as to use her children in order to better her family’s position.
Interesting info on Hodge. Is he still bound to the institute then? From the set pics it seems he is in good relationship with Alec, but I guess this may not be true.
I think it would be reasonable to assume that in the end of the season there will be some clash with Valentine as was in the first book. Would be interesting how will they handle Valentine/Jace situation.
It’s not an arraignment of marriage. It sounds like they are trying to set him up for a date. I’m sure it’s more like “oh hey my attractive son is single and seemingly shy because he never dates, maybe I should set him up with a nice girl since he’s of marrying age”. she says the rumor is that he wants to get married, not that he’s being forced into one.
Do not mess with my OTP please. If they do not put Magnus and Alec together, you may as well forget it…. I’ll keep an open mind at this point, just know not to expect anything like the books….
If you watch some of the Alec and Magnus audition videos, there are some lines that seem to be leading towards Malec (It’s some cute, flirty interaction). I wouldn’t worry that Malec won’t happen. (If it didn’t, the show writers would have some VERY angry fans on their hands, and I’m sure they don’t want that.)
Whoa, Jocelyn is not going to be in a coma????? If this is the case then I’m very upset now. I’m sorry, but that is changing a huge part of the plot and I don’t like it. I get it that some changes have to be made, but is it really that hard to follow the books and be faithful to the plots??? Especially when it already has a very popular fanbase? Changing the story won’t make it even more popular. It makes fans very upset, and that’s not a very good thing .
“Changing the story won’t make it even more popular. It makes fans very upset, and that’s not a very good thing .”
Amen to that!
AMEN
I don’t see why people are thinking that she isn’t in a coma. Maybe because she’s been filming so much but that looked a lot like flashbacks to me! I wouldn’t jump to this conclusion.
Reblogged this on The Mortal Devices.
Guys…let’s give them the benefit of doubt. Let’s not get worked up before the show premieres. I don’t like the storylines being changed either but who knows the show might surprise us.
I’m pretty happy with the way the show looks right now. I just heard that Jocelyn won’t go into a coma and I hope that isn’t true! It’s probably just a rumor though. 🙂
Isso é uma total falta de noção, a graça do Alec é o medo que ele tem de saberem que ele é gay e como o Magnus muda isso nele no terceiro livro. O que eles estão fazendo é um desrespeito com o personagem e com a autora.
I’m happy with the way the show is shaping up. I know we might not be happy about the many changes they are making, but it is being done to hopefully increase viewers who haven’t read the books. If you look at the latest interview that the actor who is playing Pangborn (one of Valentine’s lackies in the books), it is explained. He said that the City of Bones is dated (written in 2007 I think) so they are trying to make it a bit more modern. We should all just try and keep open minds! The people working on this are some of the best at the moment so I really don’t think we have anything to worry about (yet).
To be honest, (PLEASE DON’T HATE ON ME FOR THIS JUST MY OPINION)
I don’t think this plot device is necessairily a bad thing, or why people are really offended by it. First of all most are complaining that it is sick because he is being “forced” into the marriage as if his parents are trying to straighten him. NO. His parents don’t even know he is gay. Shadowhunters are oldfashioned they wouldn’t think of the possibility, and also arranged marriage is old fashioned. They just knew a good girl they thought they could set him up with, plus he is the oldest. It’s an obstacle, a lot of shows have terrible scary obstacles, it doesn’t mean the writers are supporting that sick cause! It shows how the character can overcome it. Alec is a layered character and is no just the “gay character” he is a demon slayer, who is loyal to his friends and family, and has little idiosyncracies that are just so lovable. This is just implementing ONE of his journeys to being honest to himself and his family, to come out. It is not like he is going to actually marry the girl. I feel like this change is pretty minor as well, it is not something out of the blue that would never ever happen, it just wasn’t written in the book. I think it might add an interesting twist to the series, and as it is a TV show they do need filler in episodes and things to expand on. Honestly these changes aren’t straying too much away it just adds more things to work with. It’s not changing his character it will literally have that journey he had in his book except the situation will throw him into it more and push it more. Like it’s a way of identifying a struggle in a way that can be played on screen and transition from the book. Reading a book is different from watching a film or show. Some things will just make more sense to evolve the character in the same way from the book but with some changes to the methods.
I completely agree!! I am very excited to see how the show turns out! And we need to remember that this is a tv show first and an adaptation of the books second. They want to attract new viewers as well as book fans! Adding extra plot and expanding on things mentioned in the books are necessary steps because while they aren’t sticking strictly to one book per season (they basically are but are adding some City of Ashes stuff too), there just isn’t enough content in City of Bones for 13 episodes.
Look its bound to happen that the screen writers were going to change things and and new characters and new things. Its something we all new was bound to happen. I prepared myself for drastic changes. Shadowhunters are old fashioned so its no surprise that they would add something like that. They might not even keep the arranged marriage idea, they might just trash it.
I would have been surprised if they made the show exactly like the books. Things like this just add a more interesting dramatic twist in Alec coming out to his parents. The Vampire Diaries show was completely unfaithful to the books yet it has done so well. I am a huge fan of the Mortal Instruments but I’m not against the writers of the show making changes. In fact I welcome them. So long as they stay true to the characters. So something like an arranged Marriage is not worth getting upset about. The show hasn’t even aired yet and fans are already making assumptions that the show is going to be crap. When for all we know its going to be amazing and expand this already huge and amazing fandom.
P.S: I just looked at the Shadowhunters IMDB page and there is no Lydia Branwell listed, maybe they already trashed the idea completely those could of been old audition tapes that were only just found.