Over a decade after the first attempt to adapt Rick Riordan’s Greek mythology-inspired story, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, for the big screen, Disney+ has passed the trident to a new adaptation of The Lightning Thief. After years of development involving the author himself serving as co-creator and executive producer, the streaming series is here. As you watch the new show, check out who the cast is behind the new Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.
In an adaptation that is much more aligned with the book than the 2010 film starring Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario, Disney+'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series reintroduces the demigod starting with the events of The Lightning Thief. Check out the cast behind the new series available to stream with a Disney+ subscription and Hulu subscription:
Walker Scobell
Leading the cast of the Percy Jackson series is Walker Scobell in the titular role of Percy, who finds out he is the son of Poseidon after living a pretty ordinary life. Scobell previously found his movie debut and breakthrough role with the Netflix hit The Adam Project. Scobell played a young version of Ryan Reynolds’ Adam in the 2021 movie, which also starred Zoe Saldaña, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner and Catherine Keener. During his audition for The Adam Project, Scobell dazzled Reynolds with his ability to quote the Deadpool movie word for word, swear words and all. Scobell was announced as Percy Jackson in April 2022 to major excitement from fans. The actor is the perfect age to start the demigod’s journey hopefully with Disney+ adapting all five books.
Leah Jeffries
Percy Jackson is just one-third of an adventurous trio that the series famously follows. Also among the trio is Annabeth Chase, who is a demigod like Percy, but rather than being the offspring of Poseidon, she is the daughter of Athena. Leah Jeffries plays Annabeth following an already impressive acting resume. Jeffries has previously appeared in multiple episodes of Fox series Empire and Rel. Additionally, the actress starred in 2022’s Beast as the daughter of Idris Elba’s leading character who finds themselves hunted by an apex predator in the African Savanna.
Aryan Simhadri
To round out Percy Jackson’s trio, the series of course needs a Grover Underwood. 16-year-old Aryan Simhadri will play the satyr and best friend/guardian to Percy in the series. Aryan Simhadri has an extensive acting career already, especially in being a Disney Channel star in originals such as Just Roll With It and Spin. The teen actor was also recently in the Cheaper By The Dozen remake alongside Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union and has done voice work in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, Mira, Royal Detective and Adventures in Wonder Park.
Lance Reddick
John Wick and The Wire actor Lance Reddick is set to portray Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Zeus. The Greek god is of course the King of Olympus and the youngest son of the Titans Kronos and Rhea, along with being the husband of the goddess, Hera. Zeus is central to the storyline of The Lightning Thief because the central conflict is his Master Bolt is stolen from him and he immediately blames Percy’s father, Poseidon, for the theft.
Jay Duplass
And, playing the King of the Underworld is Transparent and The Chair actor, Jay Duplass. The actor/writer/producer will portray Hades in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, reportedly inspired by his recent role in HBO drama, Industry, via Rick Riordan’s announcement. As fans of the book series know, Hades has a distinct role to play in The Lightning Thief.
Toby Stephens
The actor chosen to play Percy Jackson’s father, Poseidon, is Toby Stephens. You may recognize Stephens for playing John Robinson in Netflix’s Lost in Space TV show or from the STARZ series Black Sails, where he played the leading role of Captain Flint. The English actor will play the Greek god of the sea, whom for a long time Percy didn’t know to be his parent.
Virginia Kull
Percy Jackson’s mother Sally Jackson is played by Virginia Kull. Sally is a human woman who fell in love with Poseidon and had Percy with him, but with his birth the god broke an oath and he was forced to return to sea. Sally spends her life trying to protect Percy from his lineage, but he learns the truth within the series. Virginia Kull is mainly a television actress who has played significant roles in Big Little Lies, The Looming Tower, Sneaky Pete and NOS4A2. She follows Catherine Keener, who previously played Sally in the movies.
Timm Sharp
Timm Sharp plays Percy Jackson’s despicable stepfather Gabriel "Gabe" Ugliano in the Disney+ series. In The Lightning Thief, Sally is married to Gabe, who is described to have a pungent odor, earning the secret nickname of "Smelly Gabe" and has a contentious relationship with both Sally and Percy. Sharp has held numerous roles over the years since getting his start in the early ‘00s. He is known most for his comedic roles such as in Fox series ‘Til Death, short-lived Showtime series Blunt Talk alongside Patrick Stewart and HBO’s Enlightened with Laura Dern.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Playing the role of the Greek god Hermes is Hamilton creator and original star, Lin-Manuel Miranda. The news was announced by Disney+ on Twitter alongside a photo of the actor, songwriter and playwright on the set of the series in November. Hermes is the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and in the Percy Jackson series along with being the father to a key character in The Lightning Thief, Luke Castellan. When CinemaBlend spoke to the series’ producers, they shared the sweet story behind getting the big star in the series.
Charlie Bushnell
The actor playing demigod and son of Hermes, Luke Castellan, is Charlie Bushnell, who has so far been seen in Disney+ series, Diary of a Future President. Luke is an especially important character to The Lightning Thief because he trains Percy in sword combat, provides the moral support he needs as the new kid at Camp Half-Blood along with having an especially important storyline later on.
Jason Mantzoukas
Playing Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and ecstasy, in Percy Jackson is Jason Mantzoukas. In the Rick Riordan books, Dionysus is one of Zeus’ sons, is known as Mr. D and serves as a camp director at Camp Half-Blood. The character in the books is comical, making Mantzoukas a great fit for the role, along with the actor and comedian being of Greek descent himself. Jason Mantzoukas is a frequent character actor in the comedy genre, with memorable roles in The League, The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Additionally, he’s provided his voice in animated shows like Star Trek: Prodigy, Big Mouth and Invincible.
Glynn Turman
Glynn Turman plays another Camp Half-Blood director with the role of Chiron, an immortal centaur who is the son of Kronos, Oceanid Philyra and famously a trainer of heroes like Jason and Achilles. Early in The Lightning Thief, Chiron poses as a teacher at Percy’s human school of Yancy Academy as Mr. Brunner. Glynn Turman is a seasoned actor well known for his roles in Peyton Place in the ‘60s, NBC sitcom A Different World from the late 80s to 90s, in The Wire and House of Lies. The actor most recently starred in the Netflix movie Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Adam Copeland
Adam Copeland, who is also known under the ring name “Edge” for the WWE, has been cast as Ares, the god of war in the Percy Jackson series. Copeland is a WWE hall of famer after a storied history as a professional wrestler, including his return to the Royal Rumble in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, Copeland guest starred in The Flash and played recurring roles in Vikings and Haven. Ares is a major villain in the Percy Jackson series.
Dior Goodjohn
The actress cast as Clarissa LaRue, the daughter of Ares (the god of war) and the bully of Camp Half-Blood is Dior Goodjohn, per an official announcement. Goodjohn is a 16-year-old American actress who starred in the 2021 HBO Max comedy series Head of the Class and Nickelodeon series Are You Afraid of the Dark? Clarissa is a key character throughout the Percy Jackson series and her father is of especial importance in The Lightning Thief.
Timothy Omundson
Timothy Omundson, who was most memorably Carlton Lassiter in Psych, will play the role of Hephaestus in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The American actor will embody the God of Fire and son of Hera. While the character has a minor appearance in The Lightning Thief book, he does have a role in the larger storyline. Riordan has shared with fans on his website that he’ll be brought forth “a little earlier” than the books.
Olivea Morton
13-year-old Olivea Morton was cast as Percy Jackson’s nemesis at his mortal school of Yancy Academy, Nancy Bobofit. The character is not recurring in the entire book series, given Clarissa takes over the role of Percy’s bully, but she is important because she is the first trigger to the demigod using his powers for the first time. Percy Jackson is Morton’s debut major credit.
Jessica Parker Kennedy
During The Lightning Thief, Percy, Annabeth and Grover come across Medusa. In the Disney+ series, this role will be played by Jessica Parker Kennedy. The actress memorably played Nora West-Allen in The Flash along with having the role of Max in Starz’s Black Sails series. It’s a guest role, but fans of the book know Medusa plays a vital role in the story.
Megan Mullally
Will & Grace actress Megan Mullally plays Mrs. Dodds in the Disney+ series. In The Lightning Thief book, Mrs. Dodds is Percy’s pre-algebra teacher-turned-Fury at the start of his adventure. Mullally is well known for playing Karen Walker in sitcom Will & Grace, but she is also the voice of Gayle (among other characters) in Bob’s Burgers and Tammy Swanson II in Parks and Recreation.
Suzanne Cryer
Percy Jackson is Silicon Valley’s Suzanne Cryer has the guest role as Enchidna, aka the “mother of all monsters.” The character is one of many hurdles that Percy and his friends must face during their quest in The Lightning Thief book. Along with Cryer memorably playing Laurie Bream in Silicon Valley, she also guested on All Rise and The Fosters.
We’ll keep this list updated as the Percy Jackson cast list grows. The book-to-screen adaptation is currently expected to premiere on Disney+ in 2024.
