If you check out the comments on the article 'Jamie Campbell Bower Cast as Jace in The Mortal Instruments ' , the reaction of fans to the news Bower landed the role of Jace Wayland wasn't exactly supportive. While Mortal Instruments fans seemed to have nothing against Bower's acting ability, they questioned his looks and build - and whether he could play the brooding, sexy Shadowhunter author Cassandra Clare created. Fan support seems to have been behind Alex Pettyfer , despite the fact his films haven't exactly set the box office on fire, Max Irons ( Red Riding Hood ), or Edward Speleers ( Eragon ). And as a fan of Clare's Mortal Instruments series, I admit I have a hard time picturing Bower (who I respect as an actor) in the role. However, Clare's thrown her support behind the casting decision, telling MTV that she watched Bower's audition tape (he did lots of scenes, including the greenhouse scene) and was impressed with what she saw.

"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."

Jamie Campbell Bower also made a fan out of Lily Collins during the audition process. Collins actively campaigned for Bower to get the role, according to Clare, telling the Screen Gems President Clint Culpepper that Bower was the right choice for Jace. Culpepper hadn't seen the tape and didn't immediately get on board, but Collins followed up with a note that said, "That is Jace standing there. When you watch the audition you'll see what I see."

And Bower was the only person to contact Clare and ask what Jace would wear, which also impressed the author. Bower took Clare's clothing suggestions to heart and showed up at the audition dressed as Jace in jeans, tight-fitting black T-shirt, and boots.

Fans have also expressed concern over Bower's slim build, but Clare doesn't see that as a problem nor do the film's producers. Bower buffed up for Camelot and will continue to add muscle in order to prepare for playing Jace. In Clare's website's forum , she said, "They'll cut his hair, they'll work him out, they'll give him contacts -- if you can't imagine how that's going to look, then just think of other movie transformations you've seen in your life. And Jamie is already a tall, blond, hot guy, so he doesn't have that far a road to travel."

As for letting Bower keep his British accent, Clare said that's still up in the air but that he does an American accent "perfectly fine".

So Mortal Instruments fans, after hearing Bower has both Clare and Collins' support, does that make you feel any better about the casting choice? Keep in mind not that many people immediately supported the idea of Robert Pattinson for Edward in the Twilight films, but ultimately fans embraced that choice...

Also of Interest:

• Exclusive interview with Jamie Campbell Bower on New Moon
  
• Jamie Campbell Bower compares his Twilight and Harry Potter experiences

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_{( Photo of Jamie Campbel Bower by Jason Merritt/Getty Images )}

Nicholas Hoult , the kid in About a Boy and the college student in A Single Man , takes on the role of Hank McCoy/Beast in the X-Men prequel, X-Men: First Class . And for those not up on their mutants, Beast has superhuman strength, agility, heightened senses, blue fur, and gigantic feet. It's Hoult's first real starring role in an action film, though he did have a supporting part in Clash of the Titans , and in this interview provided by 20th Century Fox, he talks enthusiastically about the story, his character, what Charles Xavier teaches him in the film, and what it means to be a mutant:

• Nicholas Hoult X-Men: First Class interview video

More on X-Men: First Class :

• James McAvoy , Michael Fassbender , and Jennifer Lawrence interview videos
  
• X-Men: First Class photos
  
• Film review

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_{( Photo from X-Men: First Class © 20th Century Fox )}

Megan Fox wasn't shy about letting it be known she wasn't a huge fan of the way Michael Bay directed her on the Transformers films, and now Transformers star Shia LaBeouf reveals Fox's take on Bay had a lot to do with the way he goes about directing women. LaBeouf, who's returning for the third time to play Sam Witwicky in Transformers: Dark of the Moon , told the Los Angeles Times Bay films women in a way "that appeals to a 16-year-old sexuality." (I think we could have figured that out for ourselves.)

"Megan developed this Spice Girl strength, this woman-empowerment [stuff] that made her feel awkward about her involvement with Michael, who some people think is a very lascivious filmmaker, the way he films women," stated LaBeouf in the LA Times article. Fox, according to LaBeouf, wasn't comfortable with Bay's style whereas his new onscreen love interest, Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley , was much more accepting of Bay's directions which, says LaBeouf, were given without any "fluffy talk."

With the departure of Fox and arrival of Huntington-Whiteley, who's making her feature film acting debut in the epic action film, there was a noticeable change of attitude on the set. "Rosie comes with this Victoria's Secret background, and she's comfortable with it, so she can get down with Mike's way of working and it makes the whole set vibe very different," said LaBeouf.

Now we have just have to wait until Transformers: Dark of the Moon hits theaters on June 29th to see how Fox and Huntington-Whiteley compare acting-wise.

More on Transformers: Dark of the Moon :

• Interview with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
  
• Film posters

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_{( Photo of Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox by Kevin Winter/Getty Images )}

Mad Men star January Jones shows some skin and dons a variety of sexy outfits to play Emma Frost, a telepathic mutant who helps Sebastian Stan (played by Kevin Bacon ) in his quest to start a nuclear war, in X-Men: First Class . In this interview provided by 20th Century Fox, Jones discusses Emma Frost's motivations, her mutant powers, and the set pieces in the film:

More on X-Men: First Class :

• Banshee , Havok , Mystique , and Beast videos
  
• Jennifer Lawrence on playing Mystique

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_{( Photo from X-Men First Class © 20th Century Fox )}