Percy Jackson and the Olympians author slams fans over racist casting complaints

The other day we reported that Disney had cast two key roles for its upcoming show Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Unfortunately, the internet is proving once again that it is a breeding round for contemptuous comments as some fans are complaining that one of those castings is not “race accurate” to the books. Take a minute to vent your fury, because this is a frustrating one.

Based on the bestselling book series by author Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson is a story about a young neurodivergent boy who finds out that he’s actually the son of the Greek god Poseidon. He goes off to Camp Halfblood to train for his new role as a demigod, where he meets other children of deities and mythical beings, including Annabeth, the daughter of the Greek goddess Athena, and Grover, a satyr. In the show, Grover will be played by Aryan Simhadri, while Leah Sava Jeffries will portray Annabeth. Together with The Adam Project star Walker Scobell, who plays Percy Jackson, they make up the heart of the show’s cast.

A certain sector of the fandom has taken issue with Jeffries being cast as Annabeth in particular, because she’s a young Black girl playing the daughter of a Greek goddess, and apparently that can’t be right.

Thankfully, we don’t need to tell you how awful it is to virtually bully a teenager over her skin color; Rick Riordan has it covered.

Rick Riordan calls out fans for racism, and it’s awesome

Riordan took to his blog to talk about the backlash, summing things up with the grace and stoicism that has made him a well-known advocate for marginalized representation in children’s literature. “This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase,” the author writes. “It’s a shame such posts need to be written, but they do…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.”

The author asserts that Disney has a strict policy of non-discrimination, which he and the team behind the show gladly embraced. “If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. You have no one else to blame. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. 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.”

"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. We did that.  We took a year to do this process thoroughly and find the best of the best. This trio is the best. Leah Jeffries is Annabeth Chase."

Riordan takes things a step further than just defending Jeffries; he also breaks down the assumptions behind the vicious comments in a clear, forthright way:

"Some of you have apparently felt offended or exasperated when your objections are called out online as racist. ‘But I am not racist,’ you say. ‘It is not racist to want an actor who is accurate to the book’s description of the character.’ Let’s examine that statement. 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…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 mic has been dropped. Riordan’s post is absolutely worth the read in full. You can find it here.

It’s sad that Jeffries has received the backlash she has, and that Riordan had to make this post in the first place. This is a show about a bunch of teenagers at a magical summer camp going on adventures and battling foes from Greek myth. Maybe we can all just, I don’t know, try to be moderately decent human beings here and leave the racism out of the discourse about a show made for kids?

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels