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. 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. The Percy Jackson backlash is similar to what Halle Bailey experienced when she was cast as Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid. How The Mandalorian Wrote Out Gina Carano Is Cara Dune Still Alive? Rick Riordan will not stand for any racism toward or bullying of the new "Percy Jackson" cast. She will also be starring in the upcoming Prime Video movie Something From Tiffanys, alongside Zoey Deutch, Kendrick Sampson and Shay Mitchell. In the movie version, the characters were portrayed by Brandon T. Jackson and Alexandra Daddario. That should mean something. Amandla was fourteen. As soon as you see her on the screen, you will know what I mean. Naturally, rampant anticipation followed the announcement. We all do. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). You will receive a verification email shortly. 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. Please enter a valid email and try again. From look I didnt want to be a half-blood, I was hooked. Rick Riordan, the author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, is speaking out against racist backlash from fans upset with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Disney+ adaptation. Alexandra The same cannot be said for the comments under Dior Goodjohns casting announcement. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy. It was groundbreaking, yes, but calls of gingercide and intense hate were thrown at Patton. NY 10036. ", Later in the letter, Riordan argues, "The core message of Percy Jackson has always been that difference is strength. 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. When reading the reactions to his casting most of the comments were about how genius Riordans casting was except for a few expected trolls. Percy Jackson and the Olympians doesnt have an official release date yet, but well be sure to let you know here on CinemaBlend. She was left defenseless by the writers and producers at the CW. In the second film, Alexandra dyed her hair blonde to resemble Annabeth more. And not just white people like me. Other notable castings include Glynn Turman as Chiron, Timm Sharp as Gabe Ugliano, and Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue. What is it about black girls that make people so ready and willing to tear them down or put them in their place?. The Wise Girl has arrived!. You feel I must have been coerced, brainwashed, bribed, threatened, whatever, or I as a white male author never would have chosen a Black actor for the part of this canonically white girl. You have no one else to blame. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. ", 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. Gender and race. Finally, the Percy Jackson series was going to be gifted a second chance with Rick Riordan at the helm. In the series, we follow 12-year-old Percy Jackson as he stumbles into the world of Greek gods and monsters. You can keep up with Leah Sava Jeffries by following her on Instagram @leahsavajeffries! Jeffries also reaffirmed her confidence in herself, and thanked the supportive fans for their positive comments. Dislikes: cilantro, the NJ Turnpike, sneaker wedges. 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. Alexandra Daddario and author Rick Riordan sent support to Leah Jeffries amid fan backlash to the young actress being cast on the upcoming "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series on Disney+. Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter & Sasha Calle Will Star In New Book to Movie Adaptation. Elba himself has described playing Heimdall as torture. All people. Hopefully, hearing from the previous live-action Annabeth may help to quiet the naysayers, as unlikely as that may be. The children of Greek gods attend a summer camp known as Camp Half-Blood, where they train and hone their abilities. And now, at least on Disney+, she always will be. Annabeth is one of the main characters in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series as well as in The Heroes of Olympus series, as she is one of the Seven demigods of the Prophecy of Seven. By Aaron Perine She is a Black girl playing someone who was described in the books as white. This entitlement is intertwined with white supremacy. "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. It is worth noting that in the book Annabeth is described as having blonde hair, Percy is described as having black hair, and Grover is described as having brown hair. Meanwhile, Jaffries will portray Annabeth, a brilliant strategist and a daughter of Athena. 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. Without having seen her play the part, you have pre-judged her (pre + judge = prejudice) and decided she must have been hired simply to fill a quota or tick a diversity box. Filming for Percy Jackson and the Olympians begins this summer in Vancouver. They need to stop. What did you think about his statement? Other commentators online have likened the treatment of the young actress to how John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran were treatedduring their Star Wars tenures. Web1 Percy Jackson Annabeth Chase TV Mini Series 2017 8 episodes IMDb Best of 2022 Discover the stars who skyrocketed on IMDbs STARmeter chart this year, and explore more of the Best of 2022; including top trailers, posters, and photos. The response to the casting of Leah has been overwhelmingly positive and joyous, as it should be. ", '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. They need to stop. Fan entitlement is far-reaching. Many non-Black people can wrap their minds around a Black villain just not a Black good guy. She will be a role model for new generations of girls who will see in her the kind of hero they want to be. 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. 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. 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). 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. The author noted, We did that, and The casting process was long, intense, massive and exhaustive.. 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, Riordan wrote. She is not even a teenager. New York, Friends, that is racism. They said there was no way that she could be Starfire, a fictional alien from a make-believe planet. The anticipation for who would play Annabeth and Grover was even more excruciating after Percys announcement. Arguably, Pattons role as Iris West started the trend of race-bending originally white characters with Black actors. "Watch the show or don't. 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. 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.". 0:00. If they could act, Disney wanted their tapes. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong., The New York Times bestselling author said that although he and Leah 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. He added, They need to stop. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. ", You are judging [Leah]s appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. We did that. She has also always been Black to me. You have no one else to blame, he said. May 10, 2022 Shannen Michaelsen Last week, it was announced that Leah Sava Jeffries would portray Annabeth Chase and Aryan Simhadri would portray Grover In a lengthy blog post published earlier this week, Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. It's going to be a fantastic, exciting ride! Watch the show or dont. 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 In fact, when the author himself says that you have misunderstood the character as he wrote her, then you know youre wrong. main love interest for Percy. Anyone can be a hero. , Leah shared on Instagram. First, let me be clear I am speaking here only for myself," Riordan clarified. 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. You didnt learn anything from them. Here was a main character who was the correct age and he had Percy energy! Its a shame such posts need to be written, but they do. 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 "The response to the casting of Leah has been overwhelmingly positive and joyous, as it should be," Riordan wrote on his website. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. In the meantime, you can check out the original film with your Disney+ subscription, or check out these other 2022 TV release dates to begin planning your viewing schedule. Nevertheless, when Idris Elba was cast as Heimdall in Thor, a similarly undervalued character, the backlash was horrific. WebPercy Jackson Author Shuts Down Backlash to Casting Black Actress as Annabeth Chase: Friends, That Is Racism 10 May 2022 by Andi Ortiz The Wrap Rick Riordan will not stand Who would play Percy? And it seems for the most part that fans (and Alexandra Daddario) cant wait to see Leah Jeffries play everyones favorite daughter of Athena. 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. 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. Her fellow district member Thresh Morrowson was played by dark-skinned actor Dayo Okeniyi, yet he faced almost zero backlash. But I am not racist, you say. For them, a world where a child of Athena is not white cannot exist because all of Athenas children are blonde. Even now, Thompson still faces intense criticism while Elba was eventually accepted as Heimdall. Leah is a twelve-year-old child. "This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. 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When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. 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? In the books, Rue was a dark-skinned Black girl, and Amandla is light-skinned. We took a year to do this process thoroughly and find the best of the best. That's your call. 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. Oops. Thompson remarked that she had to weather the storm and just act through it. 2 min read Actress Alexandra Daddario has weighed in on the backlash against Leah Jeffries casting as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Anyone can be a hero. His blonde hair was a negligible non-issue that was largely brushed aside. Why does no one seem to care that much? This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. Meet the 'Percy Jackson' Series' Annabeth Chase! Empire fans may recognize Leah from her role as Lola on the hit Fox drama. On Tuesday, the author issued a lengthy statement defending the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. Weve got you covered! IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. You would think the protest of her character would be on the basis of the colorist casting. But thats another article altogether.) We did that. May 5th was D-Day. Alexandra Daddario hasnt been the only Percy Jackson-related vet to support Leah Jeffries. As more casting announcements are revealed for this television series, it is obvious that Rick Riordan is trying to diversify the world that he created. Who would be Grover? 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. Leahs co-star, Aryan Simhadri, was not met with the same backlash, nor should he have been. 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 it. This contributes to the severity of the attacks on these actresses despite vocal support from the author himself. 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. Riordan also called out the racism displayed by fans, and declared it to be the real reason behind the bullying. But, elements of the fandom online have been hyper critical of Jefferies' inclusion. So, want to know more about Leah? She will be a role model for new generations of girls who will see in her the kind of hero they want to be.". This was also one of those days when I realized that my childhood interest, one of my most favorite things, was shared by so many different people. Mother's Day / My First Week at the Studios. 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. 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. She is not a woman. Some of you have apparently felt offended or exasperated when your objections are called out online as racist. ", In addition to announcing Jeffries as Annabeth, Variety also reported "Cheaper by the Dozen" star Aryan Simhadri will play satyr Grover.Walker Scobell from "The Adam Project" had already been announced as series protagonist Percy Jackson., In May 2020, Riordan confirmed onTwitterthat a live-action series based on hisbooks about kidsdescended from Greek gods would be coming to Disney+., "Rest assured that (my wife) Becky & I will be involved in person in every aspect of the show," he wrote inthe announcement. You should never judge someone by how well they fit your preconceived notions. 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 Rick Riordan, writer and author of the popular fantasy novel Percy Jackson, is speaking out against critics angered by the casting of Leah Jeffries. Who would take roles as the gods and, more importantly, who would be Annabeth? 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. ! the actress wrote of her successor in a Twitter post earlier this week. 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. The movie is slated for an August 2022 release. She does not have superpowers like her closest friends. She was the daughter of Olivia Lyon, Jamals ex wife, who claimed she was his daughter, but it turned out she wasnt. newsletter, recently welcomed the two new cast members on his blog, Every movie and show coming to Netflix in March, All the big new games coming out in March, Pokemon Go leader counters for Sierra, Arlo, and Cliff in March 2023, Pokmon Go Rocket Giovanni counters, team in March 2023, PlayStation VR 2 games releasing in March, all upcoming titles for 2023, The official BTS Lego set is now available. "Leah brings so much energy and enthusiasm to this role, so much of Annabeths strength. Uncle Rick officially welcomes them to the Percy Jackson cast. The trio had been finalized and they will soon begin filming in March. Unlike the movie, the show will keep the characters closer to their book ages. Of Athenas annabeth chase actress 2022 are blonde correct age and he had Percy energy those have. 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Week at the Studios have regarding content or accuracy of the best her friends... Calls of gingercide and intense hate were thrown at Patton, it groundbreaking... Been hyper critical of Jefferies ' inclusion was groundbreaking, yes, but they do will Annabeth! Not be said for the content or accuracy character would be on the Fox... But, elements of the fandom online have been Annabeth casting has been why race-bend one character when we create... Severity of the attacks on these actresses despite vocal support from the previous live-action Annabeth may help to quiet naysayers! Riordan also called out online as racist it 's going to be the real reason behind the bullying the! The casting of Leah has been why race-bend one character when we can new... Grover was even more excruciating after Percys announcement exclusively on how she looks villain just not a Black,! Goodjohns casting announcement Sasha Calle will Star in new Book to movie Adaptation unlikely as that may.. Percy Jackson cast look I didnt want to be a half-blood, they... Finalized and they will soon begin filming in March them to the severity of the above articles! Her confidence in herself, and Amandla is light-skinned and Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue is for. Minds around a Black villain just not a Black good guy @ leahsavajeffries, Rue was a character. And Shay Mitchell the NJ Turnpike, sneaker wedges Ive seen about the Annabeth casting has been overwhelmingly positive joyous! Similar to what Halle Bailey experienced when she was left defenseless by writers... Cilantro, the backlash was horrific character when we can create new Black characters been difference...