"Shadowhunters" Season 2 has finally found its Sebastian Morgenstern in young actor Will Tudor. Series creator Todd Slavkin revealed that the show's version of the character is different from the books.
The difference between the show's Sebastian from that in Cassandra Clare's "Mortal Instruments" novels is his origin. In the books, Sebastian is from the Paris Institute. However, in the "Shadowhunters" Season 2, he hails from the London Institute.
Slavkin explained that they changed Sebastian's origin because of Tudor's accent. He revealed that the actor initially filmed his audition tape using an American accent. However, they later found out that he is actually British, when they looked through his scenes in "Humans" and Game of Thrones."
"But when we saw his reel, then looked at our take on the character, we were like, 'Oh, you're from London. You're from the London Institute," Slavkin told TV Line.
The showrunner added that the "Shadowhunters" Season 2 has its own spin on the character. However, he declined to reveal any specifics, since he wants to keep Sebastian's characteristics a surprise for the fans.
According to Comingsoon.net, the Sebastian from Clare's books came to New York after he befriended one of the members of the New York Institute. He is described as a skilled Shadowhunter with unrivaled fighting abilities.
In the book cannon, Sebastian is the real son of Valentine Morgenstern and Jocelyn Fray. He is the older brother of Clary (Katherine McNamara), which makes Jace (Dominic Sherwood) not related to her by blood. Sebastian was born with demon blood. Valentine gave Jocelyn doses of the demon Lilith's blood with Sebastian still in her womb.
It remains unknown whether the "Shadowhunters" Season 2 will follow Sebastian's story from the novels. Regardless, fans will eventually find out how the show perceives the character when Tudor debuts Sebastian in the midseason premiere.