And before you resort to the old kneejerk reaction I am not racist! lets examine that statement too. Riordan made a point to clarify that he was not instructed by Disney or anyone else on who he should pick to play the beloved half-bloods. IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. 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. (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. Additionally, it was 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. 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. ", Related:Joshua Cohen's 'The Netanyahus,' more awarded 2022 Pulitzer Prizes in books, drama, music. Its how we navigate the world based on what were taught and our own personal histories.. People rejoiced. 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 . It's going to be a fantastic, exciting ride! In the series, we follow 12-year-old Percy Jackson as he stumbles into the world of Greek gods and monsters. A Special Thank You to @disneyplus @rickriordan this is such a wonder experience Im so excited and to all the PERCY JACKSON & ANNABETH fans!!! They said that Clarisse was white and built. The Percy Jackson backlash is similar to what Halle Bailey experienced when she was cast as Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid. Meanwhile, Jaffries will portray Annabeth, a brilliant strategist and a daughter of Athena. And by the way, these criticisms have come from across the political spectrum, right and left. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Leah Sava Jeffries has an exciting new role she Why does no one seem to care that much? IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. 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. In the movie adaptions of Rick's book, Annabeth is played by white actress Alexandra Daddario. Nevertheless, when Idris Elba was cast as Heimdall in Thor, a similarly undervalued character, the backlash was horrific. 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. 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. That's your call. - May 10, 2022 01:25 pm EDT. I have it. You refuse to believe her selection could have been based on merit. Other notable castings include Glynn Turman as Chiron, Timm Sharp as Gabe Ugliano, and Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue. If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. 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. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief hit theaters in 2010. , Leah shared on Instagram. Author Rick Riordan, who wrote the original Percy Jackson novels, released a statement on his website defending the young actress. 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. 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. "Watch the show or don't. Luckily, that hasnt stopped Disney from continuing to diversify its screen projects, as evidenced by Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Annabeth last updated May 12, 2022 Percy Jackson film vet Alexandra Daddario has weighed in. Representation will not bring us liberation, but it is nice to think about the little Black girls that will get to see themselves as one of the most powerful characters in the series. Leahs co-star, Aryan Simhadri, was not met with the same backlash, nor should he have been. 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. 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. Racism/colorism isnt something we have or dont have. WebThen, on June 2, 2022, Variety and Rick Riordan announced five adult cast members joining the Percy Jackson crew. "Some of you have apparently felt offended or exasperated when your objections are called out online as racist. Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. So, want to know more about Leah? Rick Riordan, writer and author of the popular fantasy novel Percy Jackson, is speaking out against critics angered by the casting of Leah Jeffries. 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. Leah Sava Jeffries has an exciting new role she will be playing Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians series! Friends, that is racism.. 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. 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 Annabeth has always been incredibly important to me. Now.. 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. She also is playing the (10-year-old spoiler alert!) Most notably, theres Candice Patton who was hired to play Iris West Allen in The Flash in 2014. That should mean something. 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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. Aryan Simhadri and Walker Scobell had also been cast for the new series. Watching her act with Walker and Aryan, I saw Annabeth Chase come to life. She will be a role model for new generations of girls who will see in her the kind of hero they want to be. Leah brings so much energy and enthusiasm to this role, so much of Annabeth's strength. Along the way, he gains two main friends, Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Grover, his satyr protector. But the author added not every response has been supportive. 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 have no one else to blame. You can read Rick Riordans full statement here. Take a look at her message below: Leah Jeffries is going to be an incredible Annabeth!! main love interest for Percy. Everyone was too old. History once again repeats itself with Leah Jeffries. In 2012, Amandla Stenberg was cast as Rue Barnette in The Hunger Games. They claim that Annabeths story was about overcoming the dumb blonde stereotype in a world full of brunettes. But I am not racist, you say. Leah won the role of Annabeth out of ten thousand other girls. All people. The Chris Columbus-directed film was greeted with a lukewarm reception from critics and even worse reactions from devout fans of the series. Annabeths story is not about the color of her hair. We all do. She does not have superpowers like her closest friends. 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. ", "If you don't get that, if you're still upset about the casting of this marvelous trio, then it doesn't matter how many times you have read the books. Thats your call. Here was a main character who was the correct age and he had Percy energy! You refuse to believe her selection could have been based on merit. A number of fans objected to the African-American actress being cast in the role. Leah Jeffries is going to be an incredible Annabeth!!! This is not something new. Meet the 'Percy Jackson' Series' Annabeth Chase! and The Doobie Brothers have nothing in common - except great books out this week, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. When I was 10 years old, I discovered a book series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. Now. The character could not be Biracial. The things that distinguish us from one another are often our marks of individual greatness. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. Alexandra Daddario joins Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan in praising Leah Jeffries after fans criticized her casting as the new Annabeth Chase in Disney+ series. They said there was no way that she could be Starfire, a fictional alien from a make-believe planet.