The long-awaited TV adaptation of the young-adult book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians is finally here—but a casting decision has resulted in fierce backlash.
The Greek mythology-inspired series, written by Rick Riordan, centers on Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old boy who finds out he's the forbidden demigod son of Poseidon.
While there's previously been a movie adaptation starring Logan Lerman, the franchise stopped after the second film after it failed to meet both fan and financial expectations. Now the book series has been given an eight-episode adaptation for Disney+, which Riordan fought tooth and nail to be included in.
Even though the series is currently trending online thanks to a lot of positive reviews, racist trolls are complaining about the fact that they race-swapped the character Annabeth Chase, who is the daughter of Athena. In the books, she's described as blonde but actor Leah Jeffries, 14, who plays her is Black.
Newsweek reached out to Disney for comment via email on Thursday.
Some people are so unhappy about the casting decision that they've taken to X, formerly Twitter, to express their anger.
"Annabeth in the new Percy Jackson series is Black, lol? The same Annabeth that is described specifically in the book as being blonde?" one person wrote.
"So far I feel like the new Percy Jackson show is a big let down. Like again in the first movie they didn't get Annabeth right once again. I'm not being racist but Annabeth should be white not Black l have nothing against her being Black. They just need it to be like the book," said another.
"@DisneyPlus @Disney you can't seem to help but change yet the race of another important character. Annabeth in percy jackson ment [sic] to be white with blonde hair, not Black with black hair," a third person wrote.
A fourth added: "Watching the new percy jackson show but why is Annabeth Black bro."
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However, the social media platform isn't awash with only racist views, as some people have expressed how important it is that a Black actor was cast. Others have stated how impressed they are by Jeffries' performance so far.
"I used to stay up until 3am reading the Percy Jackson series imagining myself, a little Black girl, as a daughter of Athena. Now hundreds of little Black girls around the world get to see themselves as Annabeth ON SCREEN TONIGHT," one happy fan wrote.
"There aren't enough words for me to praise the way that Leah Jeffries brings Annabeth to life in #PercyJackson. It's everything you'd thought it would be when you read the books, but better. Leah Jeffries was born to play this role I literally do not make the rules!!" said another.
"The little girls I was showing Percy Jackson to were so in love with Annabeth. They kept cheering when she showed up and shouting that they loved Black Annabeth," someone else posted.
"I never want to see people doubt Leah as Annabeth again because this girl can ACT," another X user said, sharing a clip of Jeffries acting in the series.
I never want to see people doubt Leah as Annabeth again because this girl can ACT #PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians #percyjackson pic.twitter.com/9keySoTnch
— black with comic takes (@blkcomictwit) December 20, 2023
Jeffries has since spoken out about the backlash and comparisons she's faced to Alexandra Daddario, who played Annabeth in the film adaptions, who also wasn't blonde.
"I listen to people say things and try to tear me down," Jefferies told Essence. "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 has defended Jeffries' casting as Annabeth from the start. He published an open letter on his blog in May 2022 to hit back at critics. He wrote: "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."
He also denounced any bullying or harassment of Jeffries online, which he said is "inexcusably wrong." He continued: "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."
Riordan added: "You are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. She is a Black girl playing someone who was described in the books as white. Friends, that is racism."
The five-book Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, published between 2005 and 2009, follows the adventures of various "demigods," the half-human children of the Greek gods, as they attend a secret summer camp known as Camp Half-Blood.
The success of the initial series spawned numerous follow-ups from Riordan, including sequel series, The Heroes of Olympus and The Trials of Apollo, and spin-offs, The Kane Chronicles and Magnus Chase, which explore Egyptian and Norse mythology, respectively.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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