TV - Movies
Rick Riordan Pens
A Scathing Response
To Disney+
Casting Backlash
By CAROLYN JENKINS
For the Disney+ revamp of Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson & the Olympians," Walker Scobell and Leah Sava Jeffries have been cast as the leads, Percy and Annabeth, respectively. Unfortunately, Jeffries has suffered online bullying and racist comments over the fact that she doesn’t look like how Annabeth is described in the books, and Riordan has taken to defend her on his official site.
Riordan defended Jeffries, saying that “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 said that “[...] bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong."
Riordan also posted, "If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me.” Not only is bullying wrong, but it goes against what Riordan intended his books to be: a series all about inclusivity.