Posted in: Disney+, streaming, TV | Tagged: Alexandra Daddario, disney, leah jeffries, percy jackson, Percy Jackson & The Olympians, rick riordan

Percy Jackson Star Leah Jeffries on Making Annabeth Her Own & More

Percy Jackson & the Olympians star Leah Jeffries on embracing the character of Annabeth Chase as her own, Rick Riordan's support, and more.

Any time a new cast is front and center to take over a beloved franchise, it's inevitable they'll face adversity from critics who are set in their way, as is the case of Leah Jeffries playing Annabeth Chase, one of the three core characters of the Disney+ series Percy Jackson & the Olympians with Walker Scobell as the title character and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood. Not surprisingly, there are toxic trolls who remain rigid despite author Rick Riordan's endorsement. Jeffries spoke about embracing the role of Annabeth as her own to distinguish herself from the 20th Century Studios films' incarnation played by Alexandra Daddario.

"I listen to people say things and try to tear me down," Jefferies told Essence Magazine. "They say you are not her [Annabeth]. You can't play her like Alexandra Daddario. But, you know what? They're right. I'm not her, and I cannot play like her. But I'm going to show you who I am and how I'm going to play it. I'm not trying to be like anyone else. I want to be myself, and I want to make sure that other girls understand that too." Riordan addressed any backlash to Jeffries' casting on his blog in May 2022.

"Leah brings so much energy and enthusiasm to this role, so much of Annabeth's strength. 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 wrote. "If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. You have no one else to blame. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. 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 are out of line. They need to stop. Now." For more including comments from Jeffries and showrunner Jonathan E. Steinberg, you can check out the interview here. New episodes of Percy Jackson & the Olympians premiere on Wednesdays on Disney+ and Hulu.

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