As the work begins on Disney’s adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, casting decisions have been made for the main trio of the series and officially announced.
The first film adaptation of Rick Riordan’s young adult series came out in 2010, starring Logan Lerman as the son of Poseidon. However, the first film was not received very well, and fans and even cast alike wished to see the series given more justice.
Riordan is working with Disney now to give the series the adaptation it deserves. Although there’s no sign of Logan Lerman this time, the cast members are closer to the real age of the kids in the series and Riordan believes they are the best picks.
For the new series, actor Walker Scobell was selected to play Percy, Leah Jeffries was cast as Annabeth, and Aryan Simhadri will take on the role of Grover.
Who is Walker Scobell?
Walker Scobell is a 13-year-old actor best known for his work in the movie The Adam Project. However, there’s much more than meets the eye to the new face of Percy Jackson.
Riordan notes that Walker is a “rising star,” but he’s also a huge fan of the PJO series and even has his own Camp Half-Blood shirt, which he happened to be wearing when Riordan surprised him with the call telling him he got the part.
Riordan adds that Walker likes to skateboard and ski in his spare time but is excited to start working on the film and learning all the stunts such as swordplay, holding his breath while underwear, and much more.
Who is Leah Jeffries?
Leah Jeffries is a 12-year-old actress from Detroit best known for her roles in the FOX series Empire, but she has also appeared in Beast and Rel. She will appear in Something from Tiffany’s when it releases later this year.
Riordan says that she is “exactly the way I imagined Annabeth in the books: smart, strong and courageous, a true daughter of Athene who has zero patience for the foolishness of a certain Seaweed Brain.” Fans are excited to see Leah’s portrayal of Annabeth compared to Alexandra Daddario’s portrayal over 10 years ago.
Despite facing backlash for her appearance not matching Annabeth’s appearance in the novels, Riordan is certain that she is the best choice for Annabeth and is excited for fans to see her act her part.
Who is Aryan Simhadri?
Aryan Simhadri has a full acting history despite only being 15 years old. The young actor starred in Disney+’s Cheaper by the Dozen and in Disney Channel’s Spin.
Riordan says, “Aryan won our hearts.” He added that Aryan’s skills had him “laughing out loud” and that the young actor has a great mix of “sweetness, humor, and internal toughness that is perfect for our favorite satyr.”
Riordan tells fans that Walker and Aryan have great chemistry when it comes to acting together and he’s excited to show fans just how they’ll give Aryan Grover’s goat legs for the series.
A recent post from Aryan’s Instagram shows two photos of him celebrating his birthday with the cast members. In one photo he is seen cutting his cake while the other shows him standing in between Leah and Walker.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is still in production stages but will stream on Disney+.