The 'DWTS' and 'Rent: Live' alum has landed the coveted role in the anticipated follow-up to Netflix's teen romance.
Meet John Ambrose.
The anticipated follow-up to Netflix's hit teen romance, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, has found its John Ambrose McClaren in Jordan Fisher. The Dancing With the Stars and Rent: Live star will go up against Noah Centineo, who returns as Peter Kavinsky, for Lara Jean's heart in the sequel.
"We couldn't be more excited to have Jordan Fisher join the To All the Boys family as John Ambrose McClaren," To All the Boys producer Matt Kaplan tells ET in a statement. "Jordan's charisma practically leaps off the screen with anything he does, whether it's acting, singing, or dancing. There isn't a more perfect guy who could believably shake things up in Lara Jean and Peter's world."
Fisher confirmed the news on Instagram, posting an announcement video from the set of the film, tentatively titled To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, where Lara Jean herself, Lana Condor, officially welcomes him to the franchise. "P.S. I'm John Ambrose McClaren!" the 24-year-old actor captioned his post. "Look out, LJ."
In the video, Condor knocks on the trailer door of "John Ambrose" and when the mysterious guy comes calling, she excitedly exclaims, "Oh my gosh, you're here! This is gonna be so amazing!" You hear "John Ambrose" say with matched enthusiasm, "I know, I'm so excited!" Cut to the slow-motion reveal of Fisher as the lucky guy stepping into John Ambrose's shoes.
Fisher joining the fray marks a recasting for the character of John Ambrose, who was briefly introduced at the end of the first movie and was played by Jordan Burtchett. Speculation that Burtchett would not be returning to reprise the role was amplified in December, when Condor hinted in a Netflix video officially confirming the sequel that someone new would be taking over the part. Rumors swirled for months, including Dumplin' star Luke Benward, over who would become the new John Ambrose.
Based on Jenny Han's best-selling To All the Boys trilogy, the story kicks off when Lara Jean's love letters she'd secretly written to her crushes, including John Ambrose and Peter Kavinsky, are secretly mailed out. After taking on a faux romance, by the end of the first movie, Lara Jean and Peter embark on an official relationship. John Ambrose is a hugely popular (and significant) character in the franchise, most notably the second book, as the story largely revolves around a love triangle between Lara Jean, John Ambrose and Peter Kavinsky.
The Netflix sequel, which returns John Corbett, Janel Parrish and Anna Cathcart, will likely follow the events of the second book, P.S. I Still Love You, and possibly borrow elements from the third, Always and Forever, Lara Jean. Sofia Alvarez, who wrote the first movie, penned the sequel script, while director of photography on the 2018 hit, Michael Fimognari, takes over as director for Susan Johnson, who will remain an executive producer.
In January, Condor revealed to ET one specific scene from the second book she hopes makes it into the movie -- and it's all about Lara Jean and John Ambrose's love story.
“I love when Lara Jean and John Ambrose go to the [nursing] home," she said at the time. "I love the snow... that moment when John Ambrose and her are in the snow playing. When I read that, it was romantic to me. Every little girl thinks about a kiss in the snow with someone that they might like. For me, I would love [it] more than anything ‘cause it’s romantic and cute!"
In the second book, the pivotal moment comes on the heels of Lara Jean and Peter's breakup. An unexpected snowstorm strands Lara Jean and John Ambrose overnight at the nursing home, where Lara Jean volunteers and John Ambrose's grandmother, Stormy, resides. The teens sneak out onto the front lawn to play in the snow, and it's there John Ambrose confesses he would like to kiss her.
"Cinematically, can you imagine how pretty that would be? It would be gorgeous and I want the gorgeous!" Condor said with a laugh. "But yeah, there’s a lot [of scenes]. I’m really excited. I hope I get the script soon because I think it’s going to be even better than the first one.”
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