Sophie Lowe is an absolutely HORRID actress! One of the WORST I've EVER seen! She was like a slightly improved version of Kristen Stewart's (Who I do think can act, she's just been in a lot of crappy roles as poorly written characters) performance as Bella Swan. I couldn't get invested in her, she made the character even flatter than she was written for the show, and makes the character even more annoying with her terrible acting.

I feel like Emma Watson would've been the perfect choice for Alice in the spin-off and would've attracted more of an audience because of how popular she is (Despite that she gets hate as well). I could see a very Hermione and Belle (2017) mixture with this Alice and she would've ended up being amazing. I feel like she would be able to embody what they wanted Alice to be but also have someone who could actually act, had charisma, and could have realistic expressions and mannerisms. Sure, on set it would be confusing when they wouldn't be able to tell if when they said "Emma" if they were talking about Watson or Rigby, but that didn't seem to bother Watson when she was in Beauty and the Beast with Emma Thompson.

Just my personal opinion.

Imo, Emma Watson is too conventionally attractive for the role of Alice -- I think that Alice (and Sophie Lowe) is beautiful, but in a more unique way than Watson is. So visually, I thought the casting was perfect. Lowe's acting is up for debate, I've seen her in other things and I don't think she has that much range/versatility, however I thought in the role of Alice it worked - I liked the quiet, often deadpan quirkiness she brought to the character, I got some Lewis Carroll vibes from it, and those subtle nods to Lewis Carroll (largely through Lowe and Rigby's performances as Alice and the Red Queen) were part of what I loved about the spinoff. And I personally don't think Watson has that much acting range either (although like Lowe I do think she works in certain types of roles).

For me, it's a bit weird because I don't like Alice, but I do like the way she's portrayed, if that makes sense. My dream casting of the role would actually be to keep her as Millie Bobby Brown, at least for the majority of the season. It would have taken out romantic Cylice (it'd be cute to see a friendship if they aged down Cyrus as well), which was one of the dragging points of the series for me, and I've always favored young versions of Alice to older ones.

It's more or less because I just can't see Emma in Once.

She can actually act.