In the late 2000s, I was still in school and quite the fantasy/sci-fi geek—roughly the same time Jamie Campbell Bower made his acting debut and starred in a series of successful films, including the Harry Potter series, Twilight Saga, and Sweeney Todd—all of which were, naturally, my favorites and led to a long-time crush on the English celebrity.
I remember the gossip when he dated Bonne Wright (who played Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter films) and later, Lily Collins, and the enormous fanfare among the YA crowd when he was chosen to portray the charismatic Jace Wayland (read: Perfect Teenage Boyfriend Material) in Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, adapted from Cassandra Clare’s best-selling urban fantasy series. He also appeared in the music video of a Florence + The Machine song.
More recently, the actor, model, and musician has received acclaim for his role in Stranger Things as the deliciously conniving Vecna/Henry Creel/001. As a powerhouse performer, he’s matured a lot over the years but still remains a heartthrob with memorable roles in several fantasy, sci-fi, and period drama films throughout his career.
Here are some of our favorite roles.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
While not a ‘fantasy’ film per se, the character of Sweeney Todd first appeared in a Victorian penny dreadful, “The String of Pearls” which featured a demonic barber who slit the throats of his customers while the neighborly Mrs. Lovett baked their corpses into meat pies.
Tim Burton’s film is a macabre musical, complete with Gothic aesthetics and period drama elements that meditates on the themes of revenge and morality. Jamie Campbell Bower plays the character of a young sailor, Anthony Hope—literally the sole voice of reason in a world where everyone’s happy to murder someone for personal profit—who falls in love with and later rescues Johanna (Todd’s daughter) from the lecherous Judge Turpin.
The movie also establishes him as an amazing singer (which isn’t surprising, given that Bower released an album with the punk rock band Counterfeit in 2017).
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—Part 1 (2010)
The final book in the Harry Potter series shed light on Dumbledore’s past, including his friendship/affair with Gellert Grindelwald, who was the Big Bad in the wizarding scene before Voldemort stole his thunder.
In the film, Bower had a minor role as the young Gellert (a most handsome, mischievous fellow) who memorably jumps out of window with the infamous Elder wand. He later reprised his role in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018).
Camelot (2011)
Arthurian legends continue to inspire popular storytelling to this day—take the television series Merlin (2008-2012) or the artsy film The Green Knight as examples. Bower played King Arthur in the Starz series Camelot, co-created by Michael Hirst and Chris Chibnall.
In a world corrupted by violence and greed, the young and carefree Arthur must take on monumental responsibilities after his father’s untimely death, to lead his kingdom to glory. He is guided by Merlin (Ralph Fiennes) while fending off the evil overtures from his half-sister, Morgan Pendragon (Eva Green).
The show garnered positive acclaim, although it was sadly canceled after one season.
The Twilight Saga (2009-2012)
Like Robert Pattinson, Bower is among the few who starred in the Harry Potter series and the Twilight Saga.
Pattinson played Cedric Diggory, a handsome do-goody boy who gets killed at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), before he became famous for his role in the Twilight films as Edward Cullen, a brooding vampire who still attends high school.
Bower too, resurfaces in the shade as a member of the ancient Volturi (a cunning and ambitious vampire who thwarts Bella and Edward’s plans) in three Twilight films.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)
Despite his minor or supporting appearances in blockbuster films, Bower’s breakthrough role came with The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Starring opposite Lily Collins (as Clary Fray), the actor played Jace Wayland, an alluring and mysterious Shadowhunter who also becomes Clary’s love interest and has a penchant for sarcasm.
Soon after Clary witnesses a group of people kill someone at a nightclub, her mother, Jocelyn, goes missing and her life turns upside down. She joins the Shadowhunters and learns that mundane New York City is actually inhabited by several supernatural creatures and she gets caught up in their machinations. As Jace and Clary slowly grow closer, he teaches her to fight and defend herself from evil and gives her the support she needs.
As a teenager who devoured Cassandra Clare’s novels as soon as they came out, I was pretty hyped for this movie. Back then, Jace was my number #1 Fictional Crush, and Bower completely nailed the “bad boy” personality, with his unforgivable good looks and charisma.
Though the film received mixed reviews and was criticized for its reliance on cliches, it is still worth watching for the stellar performances from the actors, and the gritty, urban fantasy vibe.
Thomas & Friends (2015-2020)
Bower also had a voice-role in the animated fantasy series, Thomas & Friends, and the film Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure (2015). He played Skiff, a thrill-seeking boat that is later fitted with rails.
If you grew up with Thomas the Tank Engine (I did!), you’re sure to enjoy the film and the television series.
Stranger Things (2022-present)
Finally, Bower took over the internet on Stranger Things for his magnificent performance as the villainous Vecna.
Created by the Duffer Brother, Stranger Things is set in the 1980s and follows the adventures of a group of nerdy school kids who love playing Dungeons & Dragons. When Will, one of their friends is abducted, they begin investigating on their own, befriend Eleven (a girl with psychokinetic abilities) and find a portal to an alternate dimension.
Filled with '80s nostalgia, and science fiction/horror elements, the show is thoroughly enjoyable. In the fourth season, Bower initially appears as an orderly at the Hawkins National Library, who helps Eleven escape Dr. Brenner. But he is actually revealed (spoiler alert!) to be Henry Creel/001 who was kidnapped and experimented upon by Brenner till he became the monster known as Vecna.
Whether he’s playing a good guy or an evil overlord, Bower manages to imbue each role with his trademark charisma and complexity.
Featured image: Stranger Things / YouTube
