Repeat after “Percy Jackson” author Rick Riordan: “Leah Jeffries is Annabeth Chase.”
Riordan has condemned a racist backlash to the recently announced cast of “Percy Jackson & the Olympians,” the forthcoming Disney+ series based on his book saga of the same name. In a blog post published Tuesday, the bestselling novelist implored people to stop attacking Jeffries, the young Black actor playing Annabeth, who was described as white in the books.
“The response to the casting of Leah has been overwhelmingly positive and joyous, as it should be,” Riordan wrote. “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.
