Yesterday, Percy Jackson & the Olympians writer Rick Riordan released a statement addressing a minority of fans who were angered by his casting choices for the franchise’s upcoming Disney Plus series. Today, a star of the previous film adaptations has come out sharing her support.
Alexandra Daddario, who originally played the character of Annabeth in the pair of Percy Jackson movies, threw her backing behind Leah Jeffries, the newly-cast actress who will take over the role of Annabeth.
News of Jeffries landing the role was first announced last week, and while the majority of feedback has been positive, there has been some unfounded anger. This led to harassment that forced the young actress to lose her TikTok account, and Riordan has since spoken out urging angered fans to direct their hate at him, instead of “bullying and harassing a child”.
“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 continued by explaining that the casting process was thorough, so that they could select the best choices to inhibit and bring to life the personalities of the characters he had created. For Annabeth, the perfect choice was Jeffries.
While there has been harassment from the vocal minority, a number of fans that dwarf the detractors by comparison have banded behind Jeffries, showing solidarity by using the hashtag #LeahisOurAnnabeth.
The series Percy Jackson and the Olympians will start filming this summer.
