PassionFlix: Dreamcasting ‘This Man’ by Jodi Ellen Malpas

PassionFlix will soon start working on the movie adaptation of beloved Jodi Ellen Malpas novel This Man. The biggest challenge will be in finding a leading man who can convincingly fill the colossal shoes of Mr. Jesse Ward, lord of the mysterious Manor. It won’t be an easy task, but Passionistas know that Tosca Musk and her team know how to make big things happen.

If you’re new to PassionFlix, one of the things that sets the romance streaming service apart from other streamers is their dedication to the fans. Their mission is to bring romance novels to life on film, and it’s their goal to ensure that the vision they create represents how fans see the stories and characters.

Casting, then, is critical. One way they learn about possible actors for their films is by soliciting suggestions from fans to see who they see as these characters.

(Incidentally, it was through these fan solicitations that Giulio Berruti’s name popped up for Gabriel’s Inferno, and look how well that worked out!)

Who Could Play Jesse Ward in the PassionFlix Adaptation of ‘This Man’?

When it comes to casting Jesse Ward for the This Man series, it will take a larger than life actor to bring the domineering playboy to life. If you haven’t read This Man, here’s a description from Amazon:

"Young interior designer Ava O’Shea has no idea what awaits her at the Manor. A run-of-the-mill consultation with a stodgy country gent seems likely, but what Ava finds instead is Jesse Ward–a devastatingly handsome, utterly confident, pleasure-seeking playboy who knows no boundaries. Ava doesn’t want to be attracted to this man, and yet she can’t control the overwhelming desire that he stirs in her. She knows that her heart will never survive him and her instinct is telling her to run, but Jesse is not willing to let her go. He wants her and is determined to have her."

When Ava first meets Jesse, she’s drawn to his dirty blond hair, green eyes and chiseled body. He exudes power and wields control in all aspects of his life, and that means that the actor who plays him needs to have that kind of presence to pull off the role.

Fans on social media agree that getting Jesse’s accent right is just as important as getting the right look. Finding the perfect actor won’t be easy, but we have a few suggestions (in no particular order) for PassionFlix to work with.