😱 FELIX MALLARD BLEW A SHOT AT A HUGE NETFLIX HIT! 😲 Before Ginny & Georgia made him Marcus, he flopped a role in a 79%-rated teen drama that TOOK OVER the world! 🤔
Felix Mallard, the Australian heartthrob behind Marcus Baker in Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia, has cemented his place as a Gen Z star, with his raw portrayal of a troubled teen winning millions of hearts. But before he skated into Wellsbury, Mallard missed a shot at a 79%-rated Netflix teen drama that became a global sensation, sparking feverish fanbases and endless memes. Revealed during a Ginny & Georgia Season 3 cast game on June 6, 2025, this near-miss adds a tantalizing twist to Mallard’s journey, showing how a flop can lead to a career-defining triumph. What was this mystery show? How did Mallard rebound to Ginny & Georgia glory? Here’s the full story of his Netflix detour, his rise as Marcus, and what it means for his future, woven with fan buzz and industry insights.
The Mystery Miss: A Netflix Near-Hit
Before Ginny & Georgia turned Felix Mallard into a streaming sensation, he was cast in a lead role for a Netflix teen drama that would score a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes and dominate pop culture. This series, a sun-drenched saga of adventure, romance, and rebellion, launched in 2020 and became a lockdown obsession, with fans obsessing over its charismatic leads and cliffhanger twists. Mallard, then a rising actor, landed a pivotal part, poised to skyrocket his career. But for reasons kept under wraps—perhaps a scheduling clash, cold feet, or production hiccups—he never made it to set, and another actor stepped in, becoming the face of the show’s heart-pounding narrative.
The story surfaced during a Ginny & Georgia Season 3 cast game, where Mallard’s co-stars, including Antonia Gentry, teased his missed chance with playful jabs, as shared on Netflix’s Tudum. The revelation sent fans into a frenzy, with X posts speculating about the show’s identity, citing its 79% rating and teen-driven plot as clues. Unlike Ginny & Georgia’s family drama, this series leaned into high-stakes escapades, and Mallard’s absence allowed another young actor to shine, delivering a raw performance that defined the show’s early seasons. Mallard’s loss, though stinging, was a fateful pivot, steering him toward a role that would showcase his emotional depth and cement his Netflix legacy.
This wasn’t Mallard’s first brush with opportunity. Scouted at 13 by Vivien’s Models in Melbourne, he stumbled into acting when his agency sent him to audition for Neighbours, Australia’s legendary soap opera. With zero experience, he won the role of Ben Kirk, playing a grieving teen from 2014 to 2018 across over 800 episodes. The gig honed his ability to convey pain, a skill that would define his work as Marcus. Missing the mystery Netflix hit was a setback, but Mallard’s resilience—forged on Neighbours’ grueling set—kept him moving forward, ready for his next big break.
Ginny & Georgia: A Star Is Born
Mallard’s missed shot at the 79%-rated hit could have shaken his confidence, but it led to Ginny & Georgia, a Netflix dramedy that premiered on February 24, 2021, and exploded into a global phenomenon. Cast as Marcus, the brooding neighbor who falls for Ginny Miller, Mallard brought nuance to a character wrestling with depression, love, and family pressures. Filmed in Toronto in 2019, the role demanded he learn American Sign Language for Marcus’s deaf father, Clint, and nail an American accent, which he mastered, as seen in a Tudum video where he tackled tongue-twisters like “around and round the rugged rocks.” His performance, blending smoldering charm with raw vulnerability, turned Marcus into a fan obsession, boosting his Instagram from 90,000 to over 3 million followers after Season 1.
Ginny & Georgia’s impact was massive. Season 1 drew 52 million viewers in 28 days, ranking as Netflix’s tenth most-watched series, while Seasons 1 and 2 amassed 967.2 million hours viewed from January to June 2023. Season 3, released June 5, 2025, outshone Never Have I Ever, with three episodes rating over 9 on IMDb, averaging above 8 per episode. Reddit’s r/TvGinnyandGeorgia lauded the season’s family focus, with users calling episode five a tear-jerker for its emotional twists. Mallard’s Season 3 portrayal of Marcus, spiraling into alcoholism and rehab after flunking school, earned raves, with X user @speaknow_luvr praising his “something else” acting.
Marcus’s resonance came from Mallard’s personal connection. In Cultured Magazine, he shared struggling with his Neighbours role at 14, learning to channel grief, which informed Marcus’s layered pain. Season 3’s arc, where Marcus hides his drinking, burns bridges with Ginny, and admits to self-hatred, hit fans hard, creating a “massive wedge” in his romance, as Mallard described. The show’s mental health focus, praised by creator Sarah Lampert for depicting “battles you can’t see,” made Marcus a Gen Z touchstone, with Distractify comparing him to Gilmore Girls’ Jess Mariano. Mallard’s ability to embody Marcus’s turmoil turned his Netflix miss into a career-defining win.
The Path to Wellsbury
Mallard’s road to Ginny & Georgia was eclectic. After Neighbours, he moved to the U.S. in 2018, landing Cooper James in CBS’s Happy Together, inspired by Harry Styles’s time with producer Ben Winston. Styles and James Corden personally pitched him the role, which used his Australian accent—a departure from his usual American auditions. Though canceled after 13 episodes, it showcased his comedic flair. He then played Lucas Caravaggio in Netflix’s Locke & Key (2020-2021), a flashback role, and Roamer in All the Bright Places (2020) with Elle Fanning. His recurring role as Aiden in Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Season 2 (2021) let him sing, covering “Watermelon Sugar,” thrilling Ginny & Georgia fans on Reddit.
Mallard’s talents extended beyond acting. A musician, he plays guitar, piano, and drums in the punk band Enemies Alike, gigging in Melbourne. His Vivien’s Models work included Yves Magazine shoots, and his fencing skills—earning two bronze medals at the 2012 Victorian National Champions—added discipline. These facets shaped Marcus’s artistic side, like his guitar-playing and poetry, which Mallard advocated for, per Tudum. His 2015 VCE completion and Technical Production course during Neighbours showed his hustle, balancing school with 800 episodes.
The Miss and Mallard’s Future
Missing the 79%-rated teen hit was a pivotal moment for Mallard, but it led to a role that arguably fit him better. The mystery show’s lead demanded a bold, adventurous energy, while Marcus required introspective depth—Mallard’s strength. His portrayal of Marcus’s depression, from Season 1’s weed-smoking nihilism to Season 3’s rehab-bound despair, connected with fans, especially young men, as he told Flaunt, challenging toxic masculinity. The missed role might have locked him into a teen adventure archetype, but Ginny & Georgia showcased his range, landing him roles like Davis Pickett in Turtles All the Way Down (2024) and Remy in the upcoming thriller Nest, set to film in Australia in 2025.
The flop also underscores Mallard’s grit. Like peers who overcame early rejections, he turned a miss into a milestone. His Ginny & Georgia fame, with Seasons 3 and 4 confirmed, cements his Netflix status, with a reported $1 million net worth, per TheThings. X fans speculate he’ll anchor Season 4’s darker arcs, especially with Marcus at a breaking point. Nest, where he plays a father facing a spider-infested home, and Turtles All the Way Down, praised on Reddit for his nuance, signal a shift to mature roles, building on his Ginny & Georgia clout.
Why It Matters
Felix Mallard’s missed Netflix hit is a compelling chapter in his rise, showing how a flop can spark a breakout. The mystery show, with its 79% rating and teen frenzy, could have defined him, but Ginny & Georgia—nearing a billion hours viewed—made him a star. His Marcus, lauded for mental health honesty, resonates with Gen Z, while his story of resilience inspires anyone who’s faced a closed door. As Season 4 looms, with Marcus’s crisis and Wellsbury’s drama, Mallard’s journey from miss to masterpiece fuels anticipation. Stream Ginny & Georgia on Netflix, check Tudum for updates, and ponder the show that got away—Mallard’s triumph proves the best roles find you.
