There’s a new son of the sea god on the block. Back in January 2022, Percy Jackson and the Olympians author Rick Riordan surprised Walker Scobell on a Zoom call with the announcement that he landed the titular role of the upcoming Disney+ adaptation of his book series. While Scobell is the first actor to be handpicked by Riordan for the Percy Jackson role, he is the second to portray the character in a Hollywood project. In the early 2010s, Logan Lerman played Percy in two feature films. Both Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013) are largely panned by diehard fans, but nearly all agree that Lerman’s Percy was one of the few highlights.
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This past January, ComicBook.com asked Lerman if he had any advice for his Riptide-wielding successor.
“I don’t think he needs any advice. The kid’s really talented. The only advice I can give him is just to enjoy it while you’re doing it,” Lerman said. “I think when you’re young, at least when I was younger [playing Percy Jackson], you almost forget to enjoy it as you’re a part of it. I really enjoyed it while I was doing it. Just take each second in and enjoy the newness of what you’re doing and being a part of something like that. That would be the only thing I would tell him. I’d feel like a bit of a schmuck, giving him advice (laughs). You’re great. You’re there for a reason. Just do your job.”
Walker Scobell Reflects on Logan Lerman’s Advice
The leader of this new generation of demigods gleaned his predecessor’s wisdom.
Speaking to ComicBook.com at the Percy Jackson and the Olympians press junket, Walker Scobell revealed that Logan Lerman’s “enjoy it” advice really sunk in on the day that he and Adam Copeland (Ares) filmed their climactic battle.
“Probably one of the days in the Ares fight. I think it was like the second day in,” Scobell recalled. “At one point I get tossed in a puddle and I was soaking wet. I got down on the ground and I rolled through it once to get wet. I stood up and I looked around and we were on a beach, on the volume stage, Adam ‘Edge’ Copeland was standing in front of me. I had Riptide in my hand and I was just thinking that like, this is what I was waiting for the whole production.”
Lerman added more well wishes for Scobell this past Monday. Happy Sad Confused‘s Josh Horowitz shared a message from Lerman to Scobell during a live taping with the Percy Jackson podcast.
“The show looks amazing. I can’t wait to see you all crush it in your roles. You are all making a lot of people happy bringing these characters to life. I can’t imagine a better fit for Percy Jackson than Walker,” Horowitz read Lerman’s message. “You were so brilliant in The Adam Project. Hope you like eating blue food for the next few years because I think you got a hit show on your hands.”
Percy Jackson and the Olympians premieres on Disney+ on December 20th.
