Entertainment

Simon Lewis Is The Heart Of 'Shadowhunters'

Your newest fantasy obsession on Freeform (née ABC Family) has a host of fresh faces that should make the fantasy world even more encompassing. Who plays Simon in Shadowhunters ? In the 2013 movie The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones, Simon was played by Robert Sheehan from Misfits. Who will be putting on the glasses in the freeform series? This time around, Alberto Rosende plays Simon Lewis, and is sure to win your heart when the series premieres on Tuesday.

Simon Lewis is Clary's best friend. He plays guitar and wears glasses. He adds humor to most situations, and is somewhat of an audience stand-in on the Freeform series. He's the regular guy experiencing all the crazy right there along with us. He also harbors feelings for Clary, the protagonist. It's a tale as old as time. However, his romantic advances are put on pause when he and Clary enter the magical realm known as the Shadoworld. Isn't that always the case? You build up the courage to tell someone how you feel, and a demon attacks. Worst!

As for the actor, Rosende is a relative newcomer. His only big acting credits prior to Shadowhunters are recent guest spots on Blue Bloods and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He is also an accomplished dancer, based on a short film that he did which required some swing dancing. According to his official profile on Freeform, he is of Cuban and Colombian descent, has some musical theater experience, and recently graduated from New York University! This is a big break for him!

It's also an excellent casting choice on behalf of Freeform — I don't think Simon's ethnicity is specified in the books, and another casting department would cast a Caucasian actor without thinking twice about it. All in all, looking forward to seeing where Rosende takes this role. It's an important one, for both Mortal Instruments fans and the story itself.

Image: Vu Ong/Freeform