Percy Jackson and the Olympians is getting a streaming adaptation, much to the delight of a number of the acclaimed book series' fans. The internet was especially a buzz after it was announced that the upcoming Disney+ project had found its main cast members. Unfortunately, the announcement also spurred controversy, with some criticizing the casting of Annabeth Chase -- one of the central characters in the franchise. The author of the series Rick Riordan is now reflecting on the wave of negativity.
It was announced in early 2022 that Leah Jeffries had been tapped to play Annabeth, which represented a change-up from the Percy Jackson source material. Jeffries is African American and the character was originally conceived as being white. With that, a number of people took to social media to complain about the alteration. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Rick Riordan discussed how he felt about casting criticism, and its effect on the show's co-lead. He previously took a stand against the bullying comments but is now sharing more detailed thoughts. Riordan not only defended Jeffries but also reasoned that some individuals may need to consider some of their own latent biases:
For Leah, she should not have to deal with that. She should be allowed to practice her profession and her art, and to be recognized as a talented actor who got a part because she merited getting the part, without dealing with this speculation of it was only this or it was only that — ‘It was a quota, It was wokeness,’ whatever, blah, blah, blah. That didn’t sit well with me. I am first and foremost always a teacher, and that was a teachable moment. That was a moment that I needed to say, ‘OK, hold on. Let’s examine this, and let’s examine what you’re saying and why you’re saying it.’ Racism, I believe, is not something we have or don’t have. That’s the wrong conversation. I think we’re all prone to that. I mean, to believe anything else is to ignore the entirety of human civilization.
He further added that backlash was an insight into the true racism existing in society and suggest that we as a people need to have a conversation. The EP also continued to praise the actress and her skills as an actor, which earned her the highly coveted role:
Racism, colorism, it’s always been with us. So it’s not helpful for us to say, ‘Oh, I’m not racist.’ Of course we are. What the question really is, is do we recognize it? And do we work on it? Or do we deny it? Those are the choices. That’s the conversation I was trying to frame —this is clearly not a valid thing to attack a young girl who worked very hard, and was cast out of hundreds of other young actresses that we looked at, because she was so good at embodying the soul, the personality of that character. She shouldn’t have to deal with that. And I want her to know that I stand behind her 100 percent. The entire team of the Percy Jackson series stands behind her unconditionally.
Rick Riordan has such a strong connection to his characters and was very vocal when he didn’t believe they were represented properly in the original film series. If he believes Leah Jeffries represents the spirit of the story and the character, then we'd probably do well to trust him. I personally can’t wait to see her in the role, capturing the spunk and charisma that Annabeth is known for. Any backlash prior to the series release is wholly unwarranted, and it's nice to see the author stand up for and defend his young cast against bullies and trolls.
The writer isn’t the only one who defended the casting. Alexandra Daddario, who played Annabeth in the films, previously congratulated Leah Jeffries on nabbing the role and tweeted that the young star would be great in the part. It's great that Daddario showed her support, and I'm sure that means a lot to her successor. It goes without saying that this adaptation is going to differ from the big-screen installments, but Rick Riordan's confidence is enough to get a person excited. I'm confident that he, Jeffries and co. have something truly special planned.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is set to premiere in 2024 for anyone who has a Disney+ subscription. Fans wanting to revisit the previous adaptations of the book series can do so, as The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters are both also streaming on the platform. As you wait for more details on the show, do yourself a favor and check out our 2023 TV schedule for news on premieres that are arriving this year.
