Although Lily Collins made her Hollywood breakthrough playing Snow White, she wasn’t content to play a damsel in distress – and Tarsem’s film of the same name rebranded the iconic fairy tale character as a heroine to be reckoned with. In her latest big role, in Harald Zwart’s adaptation of The Mortal Instruments, she continues that trajectory of imperiled young women who end up rescuing themselves: she plays Clary, an average New York teenager who finds herself fighting evil forces after discovering secret powers – as a “Shadow Hunter” -- that she inherited from her mother.

That said, the formidable leading lady has some equally strong counterparts to keep her company on screen, played by Jamie Campbell-Bower and Kevin Zegers, two seasoned Shadow Hunters who help her get oriented in the world of supernatural forces that lurks beneath our own. Collider sat down with the trio of young actors at the recent Los Angeles press day for The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, where they revealed a few details about the secret society their characters are a part of, and offered some insights on playing roles that they know – or hope at least – that they will be reprising for years to come.

Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Kevin Zegers:

  • Why do all secret societies always wear leather
  • How the costumes key them into who the character is
  • How much are they thinking about what will happen to their character in the future when making the film
  • What do they think are the deeper themes being explored in the film

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