Percy Jackson Casts Two More Greek Gods
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is rounding out the second half of its title. Since beginning production this past June, the show has added the likes of Jason Mantzoukas (Dionysus), Adam "Edge" Copeland (Ares), and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hermes) to its godly ensemble. That said, the "big three" have remained absent, until now.
As revealed on the official Percy Jackson social media accounts, Jay Duplass and Timothy Omundson have joined the ranks as Hades and Hephaestus, respectively.
Duplass is a multi-talent as he has split his Hollywood career between acting and directing. On screen, Duplass is most known for Amazon's Transparent and HBO's Industry.
"What really nailed his perfection for Hades was his recent turn as Jesse Bloom in Industry, season two," executive producer and author Rick Riordan wrote regarding Duplass's casting. "He captures the misunderstood, dangerous, gloomy side of the god the Underworld, but also his strangely sweet and quirky demeanor, making him the perfect guy to manifest Nico di Angelo's dad. It was a thrill, and more than a little surreal, to talk with Jay when he was dressed as Hades and holding court in his otherworldly man cave. His back-and-forth with Percy Jackson was absolutely pitch-perfect."
Omundson is also a storied television actor, holding supporting roles in CBS's Judging Amy and The CW's Supernatural.
"He brings the perfect sensibility to the god Hephaestus, strongest and most resilient of the gods, sometimes spurned for his differences, but still kindhearted in his own gruff way," Riordan said of Omundson's Hephaestus.
While it's unclear as to how many episodes each man will be in, the role of Hades is significantly pronounced in the events of The Lightning Thief, the book that Percy Jackson Season 1 is based on. In that novel, Percy and company venture on a quest to the Underworld, as they believe the god of the dead is in possession of Zeus's stolen master bolt.
As for the god of forges, he doesn't actually appear in the pages of The Lightning Thief, meaning his inclusion will be similar to Miranda's Hermes, who is set to appear in Season 1 despite not debuting until the second book. Hephaestus is married to the goddess of love, Aphrodite, and becomes most integral to Percy's story in The Titan's Curse and The Battle of the Labyrinth.
That said, Hephaestus's presence is felt in The Lightning Thief. The famed blacksmith's tunnel of love trap intended to catch Aphrodite and Ares instead captures Percy and Annabeth when they go on a side quest to retrieve the god of war's shield. Ares is already set to have a sizable role in Percy Jackson, as WWE Hall of Famer Edge is set to take on the part.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is currently in its final months of production.