Why Did Ballerina Recast John Wick 3’s Unity Phelan With Ana De Armas?

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina sees Ana De Armas take over as the upcoming spinoff’s titular hitwoman, in place of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum‘s Unity Phelan. So, why did director Len Wiseman and studio Lionsgate recast Unity Phelan with Ana De Armas in Ballerina?

Why Ballerina Replaced John Wick 3’s Unity Phelan With Ana De Armas

As noted above, Unity Phelan made a brief cameo as the Eve Macarro/Ballerina character (then known as “Rooney”) in 2019’s John Wick Chapter 3. This came after Lionsgate purchased a standalone screenplay by scribe Shay Hatten in 2017, with plans to repurpose it into a John Wick spinoff. And that’s ultimately what happened, although by 2020, reports that the studio was auditioning new leading ladies made it clear that Phelan wouldn’t be returning for Ballerina. By late 2021, Knives Out star Ana de Armas emerged as the frontrunner to take over from Phelan, with the recasting confirmed at CinemaCon in April of the following year. So, what gives – why didn’t Unity Phelan get invited back?

Related: When Does Ballerina Take Place on the John Wick Timeline?

It’s simple: because she’s not really an actor. Instead, Phelan is a celebrated dancer with the New York City Ballet. As such, she lacks the dramatic chops (and frankly, the necessary name recognition) to carry a $50 million+ Hollywood blockbuster. Her modest filmography to date is proof of this. Phelan only has two acting credits to her name – John Wick: Chapter 3 and I’m Thinking of Ending Things – and in both productions, she’s on hand solely to demonstrate her ballet skills, not act in the conventional sense. So, ultimately, it’s not all that surprising that Wiseman and Lionsgate recast the Eve Macarro/Ballerina part for Ballerina.

Ballerina’s Extensive Reshoots Would’ve Ruled Out Unity Phelan’s Return

Phelan also had another roadblock to reprising her John Wick: Chapter 3 role in Ballerina, aside from her lack of acting experience. As the New York Ballet’s principal dancer, she almost certainly wouldn’t have had room in her schedule for principal photography lasting two or more months. Plus, there are reshoots to consider, which in Ballerina‘s case extended filming by several weeks (not months, as originally reported).

Related: Is Lance Reddick’s Charon in John Wick Spinoff Ballerina?

There’s no way Phelan would’ve been up for that – unlike de Armas, who (as a full-time actor) embraced this additional block of shooting. “All we did in those reshoots had to be there,” De Armas told Collider in September 2024. “We got amazing footage. It’s really spectacular […] I think people are going to be surprised. I’m biased, of course, I like the movie, but I think it’s really cool. It’s going to be amazing.”

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina arrives in theaters on June 6, 2025.