Rick Riordan speaks out about attacks on ‘Percy Jackson’ actress: ‘This is racism’

Last week, Disney+ announced that Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri joined Walker Scobell as the protagonists of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” and since then, the cast has suffered a series of racist attacks on social media. This Tuesday (10), the writer Rick Riordan had to speak out and defend the decision to cast the duo to play Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood.

On his personal blog, the writer of the famous Greek mythology literary series published an open letter about the criticism surrounding the casting of Leah Sava as Annabeth. According to a portion of fans, the actress should not have received the role of the protagonist for having the same appearance as Annabeth has in the books, that is – for not being white, blonde and light-eyed.

“This post is specifically for anyone who has a problem casting Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. It’s a shame these posts need to be written, but they do. First, let me clarify that I am speaking here for myself only. These thoughts are mine alone. They do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of any part of Disney, the TV show, the production team or the Jeffries family.”he said at first.

Riordan once again declared that he did not prioritize the physical characteristics of the characters during the selection of the actors, but the personality of each one. The main purpose of the team was to assemble a diverse and inclusive cast. “The response to Leah’s casting was overwhelmingly positive and upbeat, as it should be. 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.” stated.

Then he declared: “If you have a problem with this squad, however, talk to me. You have no one else to blame. Whatever you take away from this post, we must agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. As strong as Leah is, as much as we’ve discussed the potential for that kind of backlash and the intense pressure this role will bring, the negative comments she’s received online are out of line. They need to stop. Now.”

“You refuse to believe me, the guy who wrote the books and created these characters, when I say that these actors are perfect for the roles because of the talent they bring and the way they used their auditions to expand, improve, and electrify people. speeches that they were given. Once you see Leah as Annabeth, she will become exactly the way you envision Annabeth, assuming you give her that chance, but you refuse to believe that can be true. You are judging her suitability for this role solely and solely by her appearance. She is a black girl playing someone who has been described in the books as white. Friends, this is racism”added Rick.

The series adaptation of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” will be released on Disney+. Shooting is scheduled to begin in June this year.