Percy Jackson film vet Alexandra Daddario has weighed in. Let us know down in the comments! A Special Thank You to @disneyplus @rickriordan this is such a wonder experience Im so excited and to all the PERCY JACKSON & ANNABETH fans!!! Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. The actress, who is Black, is set to star as one of the leads in the upcoming adaptation set to release on Disney+. In fact, it happens almost every time a traditionally white character is played by a Black actress. An open casting call was put out where people could submit auditions regardless of race. This is not something new. She was the daughter of Olivia Lyon, Jamals ex wife, who claimed she was his daughter, but it turned out she wasnt. People feel as though they have a claim to the characters, and therefore their word is law. Alexandra Some of you have apparently felt offended or exasperated when your objections are called out online as racist. It should mean almost everything. What did you think about his statement? If you dont get that, if youre still upset about the casting of this marvelous trio, then it doesnt matter how many times you have read the books. 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. Rick Riordan, writer and author of the popular fantasy novel Percy Jackson, is speaking out against critics angered by the casting of Leah Jeffries. Whats more? Instead, it was about how audiences could not imagine Rue as anything but white, despite her being Black in the book. 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. You refuse to believe her selection could have been based on merit. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. ", '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. But I am not racist, you say. Halle Bailey being cast as Ariel in the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid had some people saying it was scientifically impossible for a mermaid to be Black. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Simadri plays Grover, Percys best friend who is secretly a satyr, a half-man half-goat creature from Greek mythology. Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan had to pen a letter supporting Leah Jeffries after she had been cast as Annabeth Chase in the Disney+ series. 'But I am not racist,'you say. The conversation turned odious enough for the creative to create a post on his website calling for the end of the harassment the young actor has faced. May 10, 2022 Shannen Michaelsen Last week, it was announced that Leah Sava Jeffries would portray Annabeth Chase and Aryan Simhadri would portray Grover But the author added not every response has been supportive. 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, he wrote. Actor, singer, and occasional dancer. They need to stop. Back in December, Daddario told WrapWomens UnWrapped podcast that she has no involvement in the new Disney+ series, but was excited to see who would be tapped to play the daughter of Athena next. They say that they could not picture Annabeth as Black, however for myself and many other Black women she was never anything other than that. WebBest of 2022 Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film You have no one else to blame. "The response to the casting of Leah has been overwhelmingly positive and joyous, as it should be. Lets not forget that mermaids are literally fictional creatures living under the sea. They join Walker Scobell, who will portray the titular Percy. Since then, there has been significant backlash to the casting of Jeffries, a Black actress, as Annabeth, described as white with blonde hair in the original books. Author Rick Riordan, who is also writing the series and cast the actors, has responded to the backlash on his blog. Coming up, Leah will star in the movie Beast with Idris Elba, which finds Elba on a trip to South Africa, only for he and his two teenage daughters to be hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the savanna has but one apex predator, according to The Wrap. And it seems for the most part that fans (and Alexandra Daddario) cant wait to see Leah Jeffries play everyones favorite daughter of Athena. However, like clockwork, racist trolls came out of every dank corner of the Internet. Leah Sava Jeffries has an exciting new role she will be playing Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians series! ", "You have decided that I couldnt possibly mean what I have always said: That the true nature of the character lies in their personality. 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). Why can we not have both brand new characters and race-bend whatever characters we want? Saying I am not racist! is simply declaring that you deny your own biases and refuse to work on them. She does not have superpowers like her closest friends. WebLeah Sava Jeffries (born September 25, 2009) is an actress who will portray Annabeth Chase in the Disney+ adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Here's What We Know, 5 Ways Perfect Match Restored My Faith In Netflix Dating Shows, The Good Doctor: Glassman's Big Loss Just Led To One Of Season 6's Most Heartfelt Moments, And I'm Ready For More, After LeBron James Broke His Scoring Record, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Dropped Thoughts On Why Hed Couldve Played Longer In Todays NBA, After The Bachelors Latest Breakup, Fans Are Starting To See Some Red Flags With Zach Shallcross. 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. Contribute to this page Suggest an edit or add missing content Learn more about contributing Edit page Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter & Sasha Calle Will Star In New Book to Movie Adaptation. You didn't learn anything from them," the creator notes. In a post on his website, Riordan who wrote the Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series, will write the pilot of the Disney+ series, and executive produce the series noted that most of the responses to Jeffries being cast have been overwhelmingly positive and joyous. But there are still some out there who are upset that Annabeth, who is described as a white girl in the books, will be played by a Black actress and thats who Riordan directed his post at. Thompson remarked that she had to weather the storm and just act through it. She also is playing the (10-year-old spoiler alert!) While the response to Leah Jeffries casting was indeed mostly positive, the young actress was subject to some intense bullying on her social media accounts. Author Rick Riordan, who wrote the original Percy Jackson novels, released a statement on his website defending the young actress. He stated his intent to cast the series without regard for factors like ethnicity and gender, and that Leah Jeffries was the best actress to embody Annabeths strength. For every role, please submit qualified performers without regard to disability, gender, race and ethnicity, age, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis prohibited by law. They claim that Annabeths story was about overcoming the dumb blonde stereotype in a world full of brunettes. Next, on June 21, 2022, Variety announced three additional "The response to the casting of Leah has been overwhelmingly positive and joyous, as it should be," Riordan wrote on his website. Not only is the backlash just blatant misogynoir, but it also shows a complete lack of imagination on the part of these members of the audience. However, when Jason Momoa, a Polynesian man with brown hair and brown eyes, was cast as the character in 2014, there was very little backlash. This page was last changed on 26 October 2022, at 04:22. Friends, that is racism.. I was quite clear a year ago, when we announced our first open casting, that we would be following Disneys company policy on nondiscrimination: We are committed to diverse, inclusive casting. Who would be Grover? Dior is not as big as Clarisse was described in the book. The response to Diors casting is colored by her being an antagonist, meanwhile, Leah is playing a hero. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Of course, these people lack a basic understanding of the human body. Jeffries also received support from Percy Jackson alumni Alexandra Daddario, who formerly held the role of Chase in a previous adaptation. Lets not even get into the complete disregard of the story from the source material. 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. That neurodivergent kid who has failed out of six schools, for instance, may well be the son of Poseidon. Amandla was fourteen. 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. (As a fat person myself, I am happy with this change as the way they were written in the original books was to be insulting. ", Later in the letter, Riordan argues, "The core message of Percy Jackson has always been that difference is strength. As soon as you see her on the screen, you will know what I mean. No actor should have to bear their job. Finally, the Percy Jackson series was going to be gifted a second chance with Rick Riordan at the helm. Now, former Percy Jackson film franchise star Alexandra Daddario has chimed in with a simple but supportive message for the actress taking over her former role. This was the moment of redemption that everyone had been waiting for. Rick Riordan will not stand for any racism toward or bullying of the new "Percy Jackson" cast. She is not even a teenager. WebAlexandra Anna Daddario (born March 16, 1986) is an American actress most notable for her portrayal of Annabeth Chase in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Luckily, that hasnt stopped Disney from continuing to diversify its screen projects, as evidenced by Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It is only natural that a new generation of kids will get to see themselves in these characters now. You didnt learn anything from them. Filming for Percy Jackson and the Olympians begins this summer in Vancouver. "This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. She was left defenseless by the writers and producers at the CW. Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. Twelve-year-old actress Leah Sava Jeffries is being harassed simply because she is Black, while the character she will play, Annabeth Chase, was described as white in People were in her Instagram comments calling for her death. The relatively muted outrage can be attributed to a lack of enthusiasm surrounding the character. You can keep up with Leah Sava Jeffries by following her on Instagram @leahsavajeffries! He is heavily involved with the show, however, and most recently welcomed the two new cast members on his blog, highly praising both actors (and sharing a picture of him and the three leads). The only other thing she has is her wisdom and her ambition. Aryan Simhadri (Disneys Spin) and Leah Sava Jeffries (Empire) will join the show as Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase, respectively. 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. The main trio of Percy Jackson and the Olympians has officially been cast for the upcoming Disney Plus show. The trio had been finalized and they will soon begin filming in March. All rights reserved. "If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. "These thoughts are mine alone. There is power in plurality. Who would take roles as the gods and, more importantly, who would be Annabeth? Leahs Annabeth Chase is a true daughter of the Greek goddess Athena, who is a brilliant strategist with an active and curious mind. When I was 10 years old, I discovered a book series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. Please refresh the page and try again. The character of Aquaman has historically been white with blond hair and blue eyes. However, no one is saying the same thing about Tim Sharp. The casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians series resulted in some backlash from book fans regarding race You can read Rick Riordans full statement here. Aryan Simhadri (left) and Leah Jeffries (right). We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. Now., After the announcement, fans of the mythological adventure called out the cast for not staying true to the book, like one Twitter user who said, I really wanted them to do everything by the book. Here was a main character who was the correct age and he had Percy energy! You have decided that I couldnt possibly mean what I have always said: That the true nature of the character lies in their personality. ", The author added that those saying Jeffries doesn't fit the role because she's not white are dismissing her "years of hard work honing her craft, her talent, her tenacity, her focus, her screen presence. Not even 24 hours after the worst of the attacks had begun, Riordan published a blog post where he called the trolling what it was, racist, and demanded that it stopped. In fact, this should be the norm. 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. Friends, that is racism.. Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices up to 70% amid federal pressure to lower costs of life-saving medication, Joshua Cohen's 'The Netanyahus,' more awarded 2022 Pulitzer Prizes in books, drama, music, Notorious B.I.G. A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon. You should never judge someone by how well they fit your preconceived notions. It was groundbreaking, yes, but calls of gingercide and intense hate were thrown at Patton. Jeffries takes over the mantle of Annabeth Chase after the character was originally brought to life in the Percy Jackson movies by Alexandra Daddario. The author noted, We did that, and The casting process was long, intense, massive and exhaustive.. By Aaron Perine - May 10, 2022 01:25 pm EDT 0 Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan had to pen a letter supporting Leah Jeffries after she had been cast as Annabeth She might be perfect and a great actress but Annabeth is supposed to be blonde hair with grey eyes like Athena., I really wanted them to do everything by the book. The movie is slated for an August 2022 release. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Meet the 'Percy Jackson' Series' Annabeth Chase! Anyone can be a hero. Please enter a valid email and try again. 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