Rick Riordan Reacts to Criticism of Percy Jackson Casting: ‘Friends, That Is Racism’



There is often a rhetorical theme when it comes to the casting of big movies and TV shows based on existing novels and book series. If a studio chooses to fill a cast with actors who match the original text in terms of race and gender, they are called out for not being diverse enough, but if they change characters from white to black, or male to female, they are attacked for being woke and “ruining” what the author intended.

The latter of these has reared its head following the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase in the Disney+ series based on Rick Riordan’s novels Percy Jackson and the Olympians. However, as several comments were made about the casting of a black actress as a character who was described as white in the books, Riordan took to his blog to say that anyone who has an issue with the casting can take it up with him personally.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

It was announced last week that Walker Scobell will be playing the title role of Percy Jackson in the upcoming series and will be joined by Aryan Simhadri and Leah Jeffries, who have been cast in the roles of Grover and Annabeth, respectively. While the casting was welcomed by many, there were enough comments about Jeffries portraying Annabeth to force Riordan to make a lengthy post, which he commented on, saying it’s “a shame such posts need to be written, but they do.” His post began:

“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. 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. 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.”

Riordan continued to say that the process for casting was done via Disney’s non-discrimination policy, which means that there is no one who cannot audition for a role. He linked the whole process and how some people have conducted themselves online following the casting announcement to the books themselves, saying, “Anyone can be a hero. If you don’t get that, if you’re still upset about the casting of this marvellous trio, then it doesn’t matter how many times you have read the books. You didn’t learn anything from them.”

Percy Jackson is Not The First Show to Attract Arguments About Race in Casting

Image via MovieWeb Gallery

In the Percy Jackson books, Annabeth is the daughter of Greek Goddess Athena and helps Percy find his way in the mythological world he finds himself. In the books, like the many depictions of the goddess Athena herself in Greek paintings and drawings, the daughter of Athena, Annabeth, is white. When it comes to casting the role though, there is no valid reason why an actress such as Leah Jeffries cannot bring the spirit and soul of the character to life just because of her skin color.

Recently there have been a number of castings that have raised similar complaints on social media, including the casting of Lance Reddick as Albert Wesker in Netflix’s Resident Evil series, a character that was white in all of his video game appearances. Another recent casting to cause uproar was a mini-series about the life of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII of England, when the historically white queen was portrayed by Black actress Jodie Turner-Smith. This led to many online arguments that no one would use identity-conscious casting for a role based on Martin Luther King, or Nelson Mandela, which in turn proved that while diversity in television and movies is happening, it is still a long way from being a smooth path to tread for studios.

Percy Jackson Author Shares TV Show Update, Promising a First-Rate Disney+ Experience

Read Next

About The Author

Anthony Lund
(2152 Articles Published)

Anthony Lund is an author, songwriter and puppeteer from a small village in the U.K. with an avid love of all genres of TV and film. As well as keeping up with the lastest entertainment news and writing about it for MovieWeb, he works as a video editor, voice over artist and production designer. A child of the 80s, he is the owner of almost 2000 books, more toys than his children, three Warner Bros. Store Gremlins and a production used Howard The Duck movie script.

More
From Anthony Lund

You can view the original article HERE.

N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Watch Fontaines D.C. sing Antonio Vega’s ‘Tesoros’ in Spanish in Madrid
Watch Fontaines D.C. sing Antonio Vega’s ‘Tesoros’ in Spanish in Madrid
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards