When After We Fell, the third installment in the wildly popular After film franchise, was released in 2021, fans were quick to notice something strange: several familiar faces were suddenly missing. Characters like Landon, Kimberly, and Christian Vance were all recast, leading to confusion and disappointment among loyal viewers. The changes sparked a flurry of questions—why did so many actors leave the franchise? Was it creative differences, scheduling conflicts, or something else entirely?
The After series, based on the novels by Anna Todd, quickly gained a passionate fan base when the first film debuted in 2019. With leads Josephine Langford (Tessa Young) and Hero Fiennes Tiffin (Hardin Scott), the series built its appeal on emotional tension, steamy drama, and familiar faces. So by the time After We Collided ended, fans had grown attached not just to the leads but to the extended cast as well. That’s why After We Fell felt jarring to many viewers. Key supporting characters were played by entirely new actors, some of whom looked and acted very differently from the originals. This wasn’t just a minor background change—it was a major shift that disrupted the immersive world the films had spent years building.
This move to Europe had major implications for the cast. Due to quarantine rules, health risks, and travel bans, some actors were unable—or unwilling—to relocate for the extended filming period. As a result, roles had to be quickly recast with actors already available or willing to travel to Eastern Europe under strict protocols. As expected, fan reactions were split. Some praised the new cast members for their performances, especially Chance Perdomo, whose portrayal of Landon brought a fresh energy to the character. Others, however, struggled to adjust to the sudden shifts, especially without any narrative explanation for the changes within the film.
Many fans expressed their disappointment online, saying the continuity felt broken and that the emotional stakes of the story were harder to follow with unfamiliar faces. Still, others were understanding, acknowledging that the pandemic had disrupted almost every industry, and that filmmakers were doing their best under impossible circumstances. Producers and cast members remained relatively quiet about the casting shake-up at the time, but they later addressed the issue in interviews. Director Castille Landon emphasized the need to prioritize safety and practicality. “It was a crazy time for everyone,” she said. “We were just grateful to be able to finish the story for the fans who have loved these characters for so long.”
Despite the backlash, After We Fell performed well—especially on streaming platforms. The film quickly climbed charts in several countries and remained one of Netflix’s top-streamed romance titles for weeks. The success showed that while cast changes were frustrating, they weren’t enough to derail the franchise’s momentum. In fact, many fans stuck with the series because of their loyalty to Tessa and Hardin’s tumultuous love story. And as After Ever Happy followed soon after with the same new cast, most viewers eventually adjusted to the new faces.
The mass recasting in After We Fell wasn’t a reflection of creative chaos or personal drama. Instead, it was a product of a world still reeling from a pandemic that changed everything—including how movies get made. While it’s always disappointing to lose favorite actors mid-franchise, the production team’s ability to finish filming under unprecedented circumstances is something of a small miracle. In the end, the story of After We Fell—both on screen and behind the scenes—is about resilience. The cast changed, the setting moved halfway across the world, and the world outside was in turmoil. But the film still made it to audiences, reminding us that even in chaos, stories—and the people who tell them—find a way to continue.
