Leah brings so much energy and enthusiasm to this role, so much of Annabeth's strength. Alexandra Daddario hasnt been the only Percy Jackson-related vet to support Leah Jeffries. This is not unique to the Percy Jackson fandom. 'But I am not racist,'you say. Along the way, he gains two main friends, Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Grover, his satyr protector. Rick Riordan created Percy Jackson and the Olympians as a way for his son to see himself in the neurodiverse characters of the world. At first, there was nothing but excitement. last updated May 12, 2022 Percy Jackson film vet Alexandra Daddario has weighed in. 2 min read Actress Alexandra Daddario has weighed in on the backlash against Leah Jeffries casting as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming But this will be an adaptation that I am proud of, and which fully honors the spirit of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, taking the bedtime story I told my son twenty years ago to make him feel better about being neurodivergent, and improving on it so that kids all over the world can continue to see themselves as heroes at Camp Half-Blood. In fact, many stans will attach themselves to any white actor who mentions they auditioned for the role instead of supporting the girl who fairly won the role. Previously Walker Scobell (The Adam Project) was cast in the lead role of Percy Jackson. Leahs co-star, Aryan Simhadri, was not met with the same backlash, nor should he have been. If I may quote from an excellent recent article in the Boston Globe about Dr. Khama Ennis, who created a program on implicit bias for the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Medicine in Boston: To say a person doesnt have bias is to say that person isnt human. Alexandra reprises her role of Annabeth in the film adaptation of The Sea of Monsters. Here's What You Can Do To Fix Them, Charlize Theron and Jisoo Wow at Diors Fall-Winter 2023 Womens Show in Paris, Mayfair Witches: Jack Huston Talks Show vs. Book Lasher in Season 1 Finale, 'Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches' Season 1 Finale Recap: The Prophecy Is All Relative, The Mysterious Benedict Society Canceled By Disney+ After 2 Seasons, Why 23 Jump Street Never Happened (Is There Still A Chance? As strong as Leah is, as much as we have discussed the potential for this kind of reaction and the intense pressure this role will bring, the negative comments she has received online areoutof line. ", 'Percy Jackson' author Rick Riordan not a fan of the film adaptations, calls them a 'mess', He continued: "You are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. An open casting call was put out where people could submit auditions regardless of race. Everyone was talking about the show; Percy trended on Twitter all day. Rick Riordan has strong words for fans upset with the casting of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians," an upcoming Disney+ show based on his book series of the same name. By Allison Schonter - May 12, 2022 09:18 am EDT. You didn't learn anything from them," the creator notes. And by the way, these criticisms have come from across the political spectrum, right and left.. and The Doobie Brothers have nothing in common - except great books out this week. Another critique Ive seen about the Annabeth casting has been why race-bend one character when we can create new Black characters? I counter with this question: why must they be mutually exclusive? Who would play Percy? Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief hit theaters in 2010. So, want to know more about Leah? Leahs Annabeth Chase is a true daughter of the Greek goddess Athena, who is a brilliant strategist with an active and curious mind. The common narrative being used to justify the backlash against Jeffries is that she is not blonde. Its a shame such posts need to be written, but they doLeah brings so much energy and enthusiasm to this role, so much of Annabeths strength. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong," he continued. Everyone was too old. She will be a role model for new generations of girls who will see in her the kind hero they want to be," the creator observed. A number of fans objected to the African-American actress being cast in the role. Thu, 05 May 2022 at 6:56 pm Tweet Who Is Leah Sava Jeffries? She will be a role model for new generations of girls who will see in her the kind of hero they want to be., Riordan dared those with a problem with this casting to take it up with me. He added, You have no one else to blame. She was the daughter of Olivia Lyon, Jamals ex wife, who claimed she was his daughter, but it turned out she wasnt. The things that distinguish us from one another are often our marks of individual greatness. History once again repeats itself with Leah Jeffries. 0:00. The fact of the matter is that people should not be harassing Leah Jeffries and getting her TikTok removed because they feel a disconnect between her and a fictional book character. Jeffries also received support from Percy Jackson alumni Alexandra Daddario, who formerly held the role of Chase in a previous adaptation. At times, her character gets into situations that are not pretty. It's a shame such posts need to be written, but they do. A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon. In comparison to Elba, the backlash against Thompson was more violent and consistent. She will also be starring in the upcoming Prime Video movie Something From Tiffanys, alongside Zoey Deutch, Kendrick Sampson and Shay Mitchell. Leah Sava Jeffries has an exciting new role she will be playing Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians series! One of the main gripes that anchored discourse in online circles was the way the characters looked. 0. Web11 May 2022 by Valerie Complex Deadline Actress Alexandra Daddario has weighed in on the backlash against Leah Jeffries casting as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Disney+ show They need to stop. Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter & Sasha Calle Will Star In New Book to Movie Adaptation. With their casting announcement came waves of backlash. Racism/colorism isnt something we have or dont have. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, Percy Jackson Disney+ Series Sets The Adam Project Breakout Walker Scobell in Lead Role, Alexandra Daddario Talks Percy Jackson Disney+ Series and the Chances of Her Return (Video). ! the actress wrote of her successor in a Twitter post earlier this week. As strong as Leah is, as much as we have discussed the potential for this kind of reaction and the intense pressure this role will bring, the negative comments she has received online areoutof line. Riordan noted that he made quite clear a year ago that when he began his hunt for actors in the highly anticipated project, we would be following Disneys company policy on nondiscrimination before providing what that entails: We are committed to diverse, inclusive casting. Rick Riordan and the rest of the Percy Jackson crew immediately came out against the racist trolls. WebAnnabeth Chase is a Greek demigod, daughter of the goddess Athena and professor Frederick Chase, and the cousin of Norse demigod Magnus Chase. Daddario has already given the new series her blessing, but after the news went public that Leah Jeffries' casting sparked negative reactions and insults on her social media accounts, Alexandra Daddario stepped up to cheer her on, though without addressing any of the blowback directly. ", Later in the letter, Riordan argues, "The core message of Percy Jackson has always been that difference is strength. When I was 10 years old, I discovered a book series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. Once you see Leah as Annabeth, she will become exactly the way you imagine Annabeth, assuming you give her that chance, but you refuse to credit that this may be true. WebAnnabeth Chase is a fictional character in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series. Percy Jackson and the Olympians doesnt have an official release date yet, but well be sure to let you know here on CinemaBlend. Chiron, who was a white man in the novel, is now being portrayed by a Black actor. The children of Greek gods attend a summer camp known as Camp Half-Blood, where they train and hone their abilities. We did that. Ten thousand other actresses of various backgrounds auditioned for Annabeth and Rick Riordan hand-picked Leah. You refuse to believe me, the guy who wrote the books and created these characters, when I say that these actors are perfect for the roles because of the talent they bring and the way they used their auditions to expand, improve and electrify the lines they were given. I am so excited for the kids that are going to be cast in that and how theyll inspire a new generation of young women. Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. "The response to the casting of Leah has been overwhelmingly positive and joyous, as it should be," Riordan wrote on his website. They need to stop. Actress Alexandra Daddario has weighed in on the backlash against Leah Jeffries casting as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Disney+ show Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Percy Jackson Author Shuts Down Backlash to Casting Black Actress as Annabeth Chase: Friends, That Is Racism We should be able to agree that bullying and [1] References https://rickriordan.com/2022/05/the-trio-is-complete/ Others like you also viewed Annabeth Chase Percy Jackson Percy Jackson and the Olympians (TV series) Walker Scobell No actor should have to bear their job. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Simadri plays Grover, Percys best friend who is secretly a satyr, a half-man half-goat creature from Greek mythology. People could not wrap their heads around a Black figure in Norse mythology the same mythos in which Loki gives birth to a horse. Shes real and fleshed out. We took a year to do this process thoroughly and find the best of the best. This page was last changed on 26 October 2022, at 04:22. What We Know About Disney+s Show Her casting as Annabeth Chase was announced in May 2022, along with the announcement of the casting of Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood. Additionally, it was announced that Walker Scobell will be playing the titular character back in April 2022. ", "If you don't get that, if you're still upset about the casting of this marvelous trio, then it doesn't matter how many times you have read the books. And by the way, these criticisms have come from across the political spectrum, right and left. She might be perfect and a great actress but Annabeth is supposed to be blonde hair with grey eyes like Athena , To comments like that, the author said, You are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. I have it. May 10, 2022 Shannen Michaelsen Last week, it was announced that Leah Sava Jeffries would portray Annabeth Chase and Aryan Simhadri would portray Grover 1:58. Jeffries takes over the mantle of Annabeth Chase after the character was originally brought to life in the Percy Jackson movies by Alexandra Daddario. What much of this outcry boils down to is fan entitlement, anti-blackness, and misogynoir. You either are not aware, or have dismissed, Leahs years of hard work honing her craft, her talent, her tenacity, her focus, her screen presence. Rick Riordan has strong words for fans upset with thecasting of"Percy Jackson and the Olympians," an upcoming Disney+ show based on his book series of the same name. 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