But thats another article altogether.) In the movie version, the characters were portrayed by Brandon T. Jackson and Alexandra Daddario. Friends, that is racism. Meanwhile, Jaffries will portray Annabeth, a brilliant strategist and a daughter of Athena. She will be a role model for new generations of girls who will see in her the kind of hero they want to be. 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. Rick Riordan created Percy Jackson and the Olympians as a way for his son to see himself in the neurodiverse characters of the world. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. This is untrue. Mother's Day / My First Week at the Studios. The show is based on the best-selling middle grade series, which takes palce in a world where Greek gods, heroes, and monsters are real. Alexandra Daddario Supports Percy Jackson Series Casting Of Annabeth Role As Leah Jeffries Speaks Out About Online Bullying, Hoda Kotb Absent From Today Due To Family Health Matter, Savannah Guthrie Still Out After Positive Covid Test, Hoda Kotb's Today Absence Due to 'Family Health Matter', iPhone GIFs Not Working? 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). This is not something new. 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. Jenna Ortega Starring in New Movie with The Weeknd, Cady Heron's Mom Has Been Cast for 'Mean Girls' Movie Musical. We did that. People were in her Instagram comments calling for her death. Leah Jeffries is going to be an incredible Annabeth!!! Leah won the role of Annabeth out of ten thousand other girls. ", "You have decided that I couldnt possibly mean what I have always said: That the true nature of the character lies in their personality. 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. Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter & Sasha Calle Will Star In New Book to Movie Adaptation. By Petrana Radulovic May 5, 2022, 1:48pm EDT Image: Disney The main trio of Percy Jackson and the Olympians has officially been cast for the upcoming Disney Plus 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. 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. 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. !May 10, 2022. The response to Diors casting is colored by her being an antagonist, meanwhile, Leah is playing a hero. Hopefully, hearing from the previous live-action Annabeth may help to quiet the naysayers, as unlikely as that may be. Who would take roles as the gods and, more importantly, who would be Annabeth? They also cannot imagine a little Black girl playing a hero. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. Rick Riordan went out looking for the most talented actors to portray the characters that he wrote and when he found them, they just so happened to not be white. Rick Riordan will not stand for any racism toward or bullying of the new "Percy Jackson" cast. 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. This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. People could not wrap their heads around a Black figure in Norse mythology the same mythos in which Loki gives birth to a horse. 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. I have been clear, as the author, that I was looking for the best actors to inhabit and bring to life the personalities of these characters, and that physical appearance was secondary for me. Everyone was talking about the show; Percy trended on Twitter all day. 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. You have it. THEY ARE CHILDREN GIVE THEM LOVE INSTEAD BC THEYRE THE PERFECT CASTING FOR THE PERCY JACKSON TV SHOW., A REMINDER THAT NO HATE FOR WALKER SCOBELL, LEAH SAVA JEFFRIES, AND ARYAN SIMHADRI ARE ALLOWED THEY ARE CHILDREN GIVE THEM LOVE INSTEAD BC THEY'RE THE PERFECT CASTING FOR THE PERCY JACKSON TV SHOW . Two-thirds of the main trio would no longer be white like they had once been in the books. With their casting announcement came waves of backlash. 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. The things that distinguish us from one another are often our marks of individual greatness. Percy Jackson's Annabeth Controversy Brought Out Some Fans' Ugly Side By Cara Smart Published May 20, 2022 Casting controversies aren't uncommon, but Percy Leah Jeffries was announced as Annabeth and Aryan Simhadri was announced as Grover. You are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. You are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. You can keep up with Leah Sava Jeffries by following her on Instagram @leahsavajeffries! 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 In a lengthy blog post published earlier this week, History once again repeats itself with Leah Jeffries. Shes real and fleshed out. Luckily, that hasnt stopped Disney from continuing to diversify its screen projects, as evidenced by Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Actor, singer, and occasional dancer. James Gunn Reveals New Superman, Batman Movies and More, John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran were treated, Percy Jackson Creator Pens Letter Supporting Annabeth Chase Actress Leah Jeffries, Everything Coming to Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max & Other Major Streaming Services in March 2023, Stranger Things: The First Shadow Stage Show Coming to London's West End, The Mandalorian Reveals What Happened to Cara Dune, Schitt's Creek Star Says "Never Say Never" to Possible Revival, The Mandalorian Director Says Season 3 Is a "Culmination" of Star Wars Plans, Mayfair Witches: Michelle Ashford on Ciprien's Surprising Journey (Exclusive), Yellowstone Star Breaks Silence About Season 5 Future Amid Kevin Costner Feud Reports, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Teases Gritty Cameo. "If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. She is a Black girl playing someone who was described in the books as white. Naturally, rampant anticipation followed the announcement. Annabeth Chase Is Black Now, Deal With It: How Race-Bending Gives Way to Misogynoir. 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. The Percy Jackson backlash is similar to what Halle Bailey experienced when she was cast as Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid. When Anna Diop was cast as Starfire in the DC show Titans, people could not fathom it. Empire fans may recognize Leah from her role as Lola on the hit Fox drama. Watching her act with Walker and Aryan, I saw Annabeth Chase come to life. 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 "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. There were also people in the comments pretending to care about fat people to veil their racism. What did you think about his statement? When I was 10 years old, I discovered a book series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. Leahs Annabeth Chase is a true daughter of the Greek goddess Athena, who is a brilliant strategist with an active and curious mind. That's your call. Her story is one of constant heartbreak, but also unflinching resilience and triumphs. 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. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. 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 news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. In the film, based on the novel by Melissa Hill, a womans life is upended when an engagement ring meant for someone else leads her to the person shes meant to be with, reports Deadline. Of course, these people lack a basic understanding of the human body. These thoughts are mine alone. If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. Leah is a twelve-year-old child. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, 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. 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. There is power in plurality. Please enter a valid email and try again. Riordan saidhis goal with casting was to find performers who could "inhabit and bring to life the personalities of these characters" regardless of what they looked like. This entitlement is intertwined with white supremacy. 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-related details. 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. The character could not be Biracial. On January 25th, 2022, author Rick Riordan announced that his first television series was finally greenlit by Disney+ and would soon be gracing our screens. First, let me be clear I am speaking here only for myself," Riordan clarified. "Buckle up, demigods. The actress, who is Black, is set to star as one of the leads in the upcoming adaptation set to release on Disney+. "These thoughts are mine alone. 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 Rick Riordan will not stand for any racism toward or bullying of the new Percy Jackson cast. Author Rick Riordan, who wrote the original Percy Jackson novels, released a statement on his website defending the young actress. May 10, 2022 Leah Jeffries is Annabeth Chase This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. We took a year to do this process thoroughly and find the best of the best. Leah Jeffires definitely isnt the first Black actress to be the target of racist commenters after being cast in a role that was initially written as and played by a white person. 'It is not racist to want an actor who is accurate to the books description of the character!' Who would be Grover? Author Rick Riordan has openly shared grievances with the previous adaptation, particularly when it came to aging up the characters. Uncle Rick officially welcomes them to the Percy Jackson cast. last updated May 12, 2022 Percy Jackson film vet Alexandra Daddario has weighed in. And it seems for the most part that fans (and Alexandra Daddario) cant wait to see Leah Jeffries play everyones favorite daughter of Athena. and The Doobie Brothers have nothing in common - except great books out this week, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Next, on June 21, 2022, Variety announced three additional But following last weeks announcement that actress Leah Sava Jeffries was cast as the series deuteragonist and love interest Annabeth Chase, (@camphalfblood) May 10, 2022. We should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong, Riordan wrote. 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. Now.. "Watch the show or don't. An open casting call was put out where people could submit auditions regardless of race. In fact, it happens almost every time a traditionally white character is played by a Black actress. 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