Percy Jackson: Alexandra Daddario Supports Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Amid Racist Backlash

Percy Jackson alum Alexandria Daddario joins series author Rick Riordan in voicing support for Leah Jeffries, the young actor recently announced to play Annabeth Chase in the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. On May 10, Riordan published a blog post condemning the social media users “bullying and harassing a child” because the 12-year-old Jeffries, who is Black, will portray a character described as white in Riordan’s books. Daddario played Annabeth, the demigod daughter of Athena, in both live-action Fox movies: 2010’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and 2013’s Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

“Leah Jeffries is going to be an incredible Annabeth!!!” Daddario wrote on Twitter in response to the online backlash. The tweet has received more than 40,000 likes.

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On Instagram Live, Jeffries said the online reception of her casting as Annabeth has resulted in her being banned from TikTok. 

“My TikTok has been banned. I guess all the people did not want me to be Annabeth or something, they literally took down my whole account,” Jeffries said in the video addressing her followers. “So I now do not have a TikTok account anymore, but that’s not going to stop us!”

In a blog post titled “Leah Jeffries is Annabeth Chase,” Riordan wrote, “This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. 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.”

Riordan continued, “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.”

Riordan also cited Disney’s company policy on nondiscrimination, stating that the company is “committed to diverse, inclusive casting” open to “qualified performers, without regard to disability, gender, race and ethnicity, age, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other basis prohibited by law.” 

Following a “long, intense, massive and exhaustive” casting search, Riordan added, “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.” 

Jeffries will co-lead the series with Walker Scobell (The Adam Project) starring as Percy Jackson and Aryan Simhadri (Disney+’s Cheaper by the Dozen) playing Grover Underwood. Percy Jackson and The Olympians has been ordered to series at Disney+.