Sometimes life doesn’t go the way you wanted – TV can reflect those little missteps. For Jake T. Austin and his role as Jesus in The Fosters, things didn’t go as planned. And Noah Centineo was brought in as a replacement. Though Noah did a fine job filling the Jesus-sized gap in the series, we always wondered why the change had to happen. TV shows often have to accommodate changes in the show. These include new castings like in Riverdale when Ross Butler was switched out for Charles Melton, and Willa Holland replaced Shailene Woodley in the O.C. Another question crops up whenever there are two different actors in the same role: who did it better? 

 The character of Jesus in The Fosters was challenging to portray. Jesus has suffered through a lot of trauma, including being abandoned by his birth-mother and surviving a traumatic brain injury. Despite the obstacles in his life, Jesus got through them. Of course, with the help of his supportive family like his twin sister Mariana and his adoptive parents. Jesus learned to cope with the side effects of his ADHD, like his quick temper and impulsiveness, by joining the wrestling team and using it as an emotional outlet. 

Jake T. Austin played Jesus for only two seasons out of five. Jake portrayed Jesus at a more turbulent time in the teen’s life when he was adjusting to his new adoptive family. Noah had plenty of heavy moments in his time as the character. He joined the show when Jesus’s storyline saw him taking steroids and getting kicked out of boarding school. Some have remained loyal to the angstier version of Jesus brought out by Jake. Still, overall the public was satisfied with Noah as his replacement. The consensus is that Noah Centineo was better for the role. 

Does that mean that Jake was the wrong choice? Not exactly. Sometimes it’s just not a good fit. The cast of the Fosters and even Jake himself admitted that’s why the change happened. Maia Mitchell, who played Callie on The Fosters, confirmed the fact by saying, “He [Jake] wasn’t the right fit. He wasn’t interested in doing the show anymore, so he left.” Jake was going through a tough time while working on The Fosters. He has spent most of his childhood on sets like Wizards of Waverly Place and Hotel for dogs. Jake confessed he was losing sight of himself, resulting in destructive behavior while working on the show. Jake ultimately left because he didn’t like who he was anymore and an actor or a person. 

Now, both Jake and Noah have come a long way since their time as Jesus. Jake was cast in a neo-noir film called Adverse, acting alongside Mickey Rourke and Sean Astin. Jake’s also snagged a role in an upcoming TV series, titled The Rise that will also see Hannah Montana star Mitchell Musso in a role. Noah became a Netflix darling and has graced us with numerous rom-coms. His movies include favorites like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Perfect Date. Noah is also set to portray He-Man in the Masters of the Universe film and Atom Smasher in DCEU’s Black Adam. 

Though life threw Jake a curveball, he managed to pick himself back up and move on – much like Jesus had to do many times in The Fosters. Sometimes it’s better to walk away to take care of yourself so that you can grow and be ready for better things ahead.  

Who is your favorite Jesus – Jake or Noah?