Leah won the role of Annabeth out of ten thousand other girls. You should never judge someone by how well they fit your preconceived notions. 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? History once again repeats itself with Leah Jeffries. , Leah shared on Instagram. Shes real and fleshed out. In a lengthy blog post published earlier this week, Take a look at her message below: Leah Jeffries is going to be an incredible Annabeth!! 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. Likes: fashion, books, old buildings. 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. Meanwhile, Jaffries will portray Annabeth, a brilliant strategist and a daughter of Athena. Friends, that is racism.. They need to stop. We should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong, Riordan wrote. Racism/colorism isnt something we have or dont have. She will also be starring in the upcoming Prime Video movie Something From Tiffanys, alongside Zoey Deutch, Kendrick Sampson and Shay Mitchell. Fan entitlement is far-reaching. At times, her character gets into situations that are not pretty. So, want to know more about Leah? Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. 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. She is a Black girl playing someone who was described in the books as white. You refuse to believe her selection could have been based on merit. 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. Rick Riordan made a promise that he was going to try to keep the spirit of his books alive with young actors who would be accurate to the ages of the characters. It's going to be a fantastic, exciting ride! 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 ", You are judging [Leah]s appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. "If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. It was groundbreaking, yes, but calls of gingercide and intense hate were thrown at Patton. And by the way, these criticisms have come from across the political spectrum, right and left.. Lets not even get into the complete disregard of the story from the source material. Amandla was fourteen. They do not necessarily reflect or represent the opinions of any part of Disney, the TV show, the production team, or the Jeffries family. 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. Previously Walker Scobell (The Adam Project) was cast in the lead role of Percy Jackson. In the book, Gabe is also described as fat. The things that distinguish us from one another are often our marks of individual greatness. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. 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. "This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. 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. The children of Greek gods attend a summer camp known as Camp Half-Blood, where they train and hone their abilities. Watch the show or dont. 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. WebAlexandra Daddario: Annabeth Showing all 35 items Jump to: Photos (29) Quotes (6) Photos 6 more photos Quotes [last lines] [Annabeth leaning in as if to kiss Percy, then swiping his She also is playing the (10-year-old spoiler alert!) You have decided that I couldnt possibly mean what I have always said: That the true nature of the character lies in their personality. And by the way, these criticisms have come from across the political spectrum, right and left. You have no one else to blame. Filming for Percy Jackson and the Olympians begins this summer in Vancouver. For them, a world where a child of Athena is not white cannot exist because all of Athenas children are blonde. 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 We did that. This is something that other studios have failed to do, but it should not be commended. 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. Tessa Thompsons casting as Valkyrie, on the other hand, unleashed a hellfire of vitriol. On April 11th, Walker Scobell was introduced to the world as our new Percy. This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. 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. 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 Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. 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 character of Aquaman has historically been white with blond hair and blue eyes. 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. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, The Wise Girl has arrived!. Nevertheless, when Idris Elba was cast as Heimdall in Thor, a similarly undervalued character, the backlash was horrific. This is not something new. It is not racist to want an actor who is accurate to the books description of the character!, You are upset/disappointed/frustrated/angry because a Black actor has been cast to play a character who was described as white in the books. 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. Leah Jeffries is going to be an incredible Annabeth!!! I have it. 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. 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. By Aaron Perine Weve got you covered! 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. The main trio of Percy Jackson and the Olympians has officially been cast for the upcoming Disney Plus show. 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. On Tuesday, the young adult novelist, 57, spoke out against backlash the show has received after Variety announced last ThursdaythatLeah Jeffries, a 12-year-old Black actress, will play Annabeth Chase, whom Riordan described in the books as white. That neurodivergent kid who has failed out of six schools, for instance, may well be the son of Poseidon. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Now. 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. But, elements of the fandom online have been hyper critical of Jefferies' inclusion. 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 All people. "Watch the show or don't. The key differences between the two actors? How The Mandalorian Wrote Out Gina Carano Is Cara Dune Still Alive? They also cannot imagine a little Black girl playing a hero. 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. What did you think about his statement? You will receive a verification email shortly. 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. Everyone was too old. The author noted, We did that, and The casting process was long, intense, massive and exhaustive.. 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. 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. ", 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. The core message of Percy Jackson has always been that difference is strength. (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. Dior herself has mentioned that she is in the gym, as if that matters. She is not even a teenager. This entitlement is intertwined with white supremacy. Please enter a valid email and try again. Aryan Simhadri (Disneys Spin) and Leah Sava Jeffries (Empire) will join the show as Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase, respectively. Oops. We all do. The movie is slated for an August 2022 release. These three roles are interesting to note because of the reaction to the corresponding casting announcements. 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. Dior is not as big as Clarisse was described in the book. Rick Riordan created Percy Jackson and the Olympians as a way for his son to see himself in the neurodiverse characters of the world. Percy Jackson & the Olympians fans showed their more controversial side when Leah Jeffries was cast as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Disney+ TV series. When the fan base learned that Disney+ was picking up their beloved franchise for a second shot at on-screen adaptation, they were ecstatic. 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. Annabeth must work ten times harder than everyone around her to be seen as powerful and worthy of being a hero. It should mean almost everything. 1:58. 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. 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. 2013 saw the release of a sequel that garnered an even worse reception. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. 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