ICYMI, the deeply loved Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series is being adapted into a Disney+ show, which, yay! News of who will play the story’s three main characters and besties was recently announced, and online racist trolls started working overtime. What was their gripe, you ask? Oh, that would be the decision to cast darling 12-year-old actress Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, who is depicted as white in the books. Leah is Black.
In a recent Instagram Live, Leah told her fans her TikTok account was banned due to many people being upset about her casting. “All of the people that kind of did not want me to be Annabeth or something, they literally took down my whole account,” she said in the video. Still trying to understand how this means Leah should be the one who’s punished, but go off I guess, TikTok *eye rolls*.
Rick Riordan, who wrote the book series and is an executive producer on the streaming series, had no time or tolerance for any of this—as he shouldn’t. In a lengthy blog post, Rick called out the trolls for their racism and harassment while defending Leah and his casting decision.
“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,” he wrote. “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.”
He continued: “You refuse to believe me, the guy who wrote the books and created these characters, when I say that these actors are perfect for the roles because of the talent they bring and the way they used their auditions to expand, improve, and electrify the lines they were given. 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. 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.”
Rick’s wife Rebecca Riordan, who is also executive producing the TV series, also wrote a statement in a tweet, ending it with, “Leave Leah alone.” She noted that “Leah’s family and Disney is working on a new [TikTok] handle for Leah” and they are all “going to get this sorted.”
In his blog post, Rick reiterated the true heart behind the Percy Jackson series. “The core message of Percy Jackson has always been that difference is strength,” he wrote. “There is power in plurality. The things that distinguish us from one another are often our marks of individual greatness. You should never judge someone by how well they fit your preconceived notions. That neurodivergent kid who has failed out of six schools, for instance, may well be the son of Poseidon. Anyone can be a hero. 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. You didn’t learn anything from them.”
Through it all, Leah is keeping her head up and staying positive. Later in the same Instagram Live, she said, “To whoever is hating—stop doing that. I know you think it’s going to hurt me. It’s not. You’re just wasting time.”
