Friends, that is racism.. You should never judge someone by how well they fit your preconceived notions. You refuse to believe her selection could have been based on merit. The author noted, We did that, and The casting process was long, intense, massive and exhaustive.. The most watched K-pop music videos of the year have been revealed. Leah won the role of Annabeth out of ten thousand other girls. This was the moment of redemption that everyone had been waiting for. Uncle Rick officially welcomes them to the Percy Jackson cast. One of the main gripes that anchored discourse in online circles was the way the characters looked. - May 10, 2022 01:25 pm EDT. 0. 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When I was 10 years old, I discovered a book series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. Rick Riordan will not stand for any racism toward or bullying of the new Percy Jackson cast. Let us know down in the comments! Leah Sava Jeffries has an exciting new role she main love interest for Percy. Alexandra Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. I have it. You refuse to believe her selection could have been based on merit. 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). 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The children of Greek gods attend a summer camp known as Camp Half-Blood, where they train and hone their abilities. Its a There is power in plurality. But the author added not every response has been supportive. ! the actress wrote of her successor in a Twitter post earlier this week. 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. Amandla was fourteen. They need to stop. "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. On Tuesday, the author issued a lengthy statement defending the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. "Buckle up, demigods. Jenna Ortega Starring in New Movie with The Weeknd, Cady Heron's Mom Has Been Cast for 'Mean Girls' Movie Musical. But, elements of the fandom online have been hyper critical of Jefferies' inclusion. New York, 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. First, let me be clear I am speaking here only for myself," Riordan clarified. 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. The Chris Columbus-directed film was greeted with a lukewarm reception from critics and even worse reactions from devout fans of the series. 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. Copyright 2023 ComicBook.com. 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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. Now.. 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. , Leah shared on Instagram. 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Naturally, rampant anticipation followed the announcement. From look I didnt want to be a half-blood, I was hooked. 'But I am not racist,'you say. May 10, 2022 Shannen Michaelsen Last week, it was announced that Leah Sava Jeffries would portray Annabeth Chase and Aryan Simhadri would portray Grover 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. Whats more? 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. Leah Jeffries is Annabeth Chase. 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 . Mother's Day / My First Week at the Studios. It should mean almost everything. 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. ", "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. She also is playing the (10-year-old spoiler alert!) You have no one else to blame. Now., After the announcement, fans of the mythological adventure called out the cast for not staying true to the book, like one Twitter user who said, I really wanted them to do everything by the book. In the movie adaptions of Rick's book, Annabeth is played by white actress Alexandra Daddario. They also cannot imagine a little Black girl playing a hero. In the book, Gabe is also described as fat. 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 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. 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. 1:58. And not just white people like me. In a lengthy blog post published earlier this week, Riordan condemned the racist remarks made toward the young star set to play Annabeth Chase in Percy Jackson and the Olympians., This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, Riordan wrote. You are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. If I may quote from an excellent recent article in the Boston Globe about Dr. Khama Ennis, who created a program on implicit bias for the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Medicine in Boston: To say a person doesnt have bias is to say that person isnt human. 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. In the replies to that announcement, there were people commenting on her race and body type. 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. 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. Along the way, he gains two main friends, Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Grover, his satyr protector. 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 Muscles can be built. But I am not racist, you say. ", More:Notorious B.I.G. Oops. Alexandra Daddario hasnt been the only Percy Jackson-related vet to support Leah Jeffries. 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