{"id":444876,"date":"2022-05-10T22:30:10","date_gmt":"2022-05-10T19:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/rick-riordan-slams-racist-backlash-over-annabeth-casting\/"},"modified":"2022-05-10T22:30:10","modified_gmt":"2022-05-10T19:30:10","slug":"rick-riordan-slams-racist-backlash-over-annabeth-casting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/rick-riordan-slams-racist-backlash-over-annabeth-casting\/","title":{"rendered":"#Rick Riordan Slams Racist Backlash Over Annabeth Casting"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d5012f1846\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d5012f1846\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/rick-riordan-slams-racist-backlash-over-annabeth-casting\/#%E2%80%9CRick_Riordan_Slams_Racist_Backlash_Over_Annabeth_Casting%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Rick Riordan Slams Racist Backlash Over Annabeth Casting&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CRick_Riordan_Slams_Racist_Backlash_Over_Annabeth_Casting%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Rick Riordan Slams Racist Backlash Over Annabeth Casting&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tvinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/rick-riordan-leah-sava-jeffries.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<div> Leah Sava Jeffries will play Annabeth Chase in <em>Percy Jackson and the Olympians<\/em> on Disney+. And while the vast majority of the <em>Percy Jackson <\/em>fandom is celebrating the fact that Annabeth will be played by a Black actor, there are unfortunately those spewing hate over Jeffries\u2019 casting.<\/p>\n<p><em>Percy Jackson<\/em> author Rick Riordan responded to the racist <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media<\/a> hate on his personal <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rickriordan.com\/2022\/05\/leah-jeffries-is-annabeth-chase\/\">blog<\/a>, slamming those with prejudice over the 12-year-old star\u2019s casting as the brilliant daughter of Athena. He starts off saying he\u2019s speaking for himself, not for Disney, the show and all crew involved, or Jeffries and her family. He\u2019s saddened his statement is required, but feels it\u2019s important to strongly reject the hatred, noting that \u201cthe casting of Leah has been overwhelmingly positive and joyous, as it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. You have no one else to blame. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong,\u201d he says. \u201cAs strong as Leah is, as much as we have discussed the potential for this kind of reaction and the intense pressure this role will bring, the negative comments she has received online are <em>out <\/em>of line. They need to stop. Now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Riordan then reminds people that throughout the <em>Percy Jackson<\/em><em> and the Olympians<\/em> casting process, they were expressive about their commitment to creating a diverse cast. Their goal throughout the \u201cexhaustive\u201d audition process was to find \u201cthe best actors to inhabit and bring to life the personalities of these characters,\u201d noting that physical <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>earance was secondary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis trio <em>is <\/em>the best,\u201d he says. \u201cLeah Jeffries <em>is<\/em> Annabeth Chase.\u201d And then, he really goes in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome of you have apparently felt offended or exasperated when your objections are called out online as racist,\u201d the author writes. \u201c\u2018But I am not racist,\u2019 you say. \u2018It is not racist to want an actor who is accurate to the book\u2019s description of the character!\u2019 Let\u2019s examine that statement. You are upset\/disappointed\/frustrated\/angry because a Black actor has been cast to play a character who was described as white in the books. \u2018She doesn\u2019t look the way I always imagined.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Welcome home demigods \u26a1 Meet Annabeth, Percy, and Grover. Get ready for <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PercyJackson?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#PercyJackson<\/a> and The Olympians coming to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/disneyplus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DisneyPlus<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/l6mhR20WCw\">pic.twitter.com\/l6mhR20WCw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Percy Jackson (@Percy<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Series<\/a>) <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PercySeries\/status\/1522260035274874880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 5, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cYou either are not aware, or have dismissed, Leah\u2019s years of hard work honing her craft, her talent, her tenacity, her focus, her screen presence,\u201d he continues. \u201cYou refuse to believe her selection could have been based on merit. Without having seen her play the part, you have pre-judged her (pre + judge = prejudice) and decided she must have been hired simply to fill a quota or tick a diversity box. And by the way, these criticisms have come from across the political spectrum, right and left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou 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 the lines they were given,\u201d the author goes on. \u201cOnce you see Leah as Annabeth, she will become exactly the way you imagine Annabeth, assuming you give her that chance, but you refuse to credit that this may be true.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. She is a Black girl playing someone who was described in the books as white. Friends, that is racism.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Thank you for standing up for Black girls, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/rickriordan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@rickriordan<\/a>. It\u2019s been heartbreaking to see this talented actress get treated like this. I\u2019ve been wrecked watching from the sidelines. She is extraordinary. I can\u2019t wait to see her as Annabeth! <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/47qkPaGBqt\">https:\/\/t.co\/47qkPaGBqt<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Dhonielle Clayton Updates! (@brownbookworm) <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brownbookworm\/status\/1524076400612835328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 10, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>For those unfamiliar with Riordan\u2019s history, the author has always championed diversity in his books\u2019 central themes, among his fanbase, and clearly throughout the casting process of the Disney+ series. If you didn\u2019t know that about Riordan and the PJO fandom by now, you\u2019ve been ignoring what\u2019s in plain sight. Riordan noted this in statement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe core message of <em>Percy Jackson<\/em> has always been that difference is strength. There is power in plurality. The things that distinguish us from one another are often our marks of individual greatness. You should never judge someone by how well they fit your preconceived notions<em>. <\/em>That neurodivergent kid who has failed out of six schools, for instance, may well be the son of Poseidon. Anyone can be a hero,\u201d he writes. \u201cIf you don\u2019t get that, if you\u2019re still upset about the casting of this marvelous trio, then it doesn\u2019t matter how many times you have read the books. You didn\u2019t learn anything from them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s that. Fans of the series and Jeffries\u2019 casting are now flooding Twitter with positive tweets about the actor under the hashtag #LeahIsOurAnnabeth. Consider this our official contribution to that celebratory discourse.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Percy Jackson and the Olympians<\/strong><\/em><strong>, Series Premiere, TBA, Disney+<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Social Media category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tvinsider.com\/1044011\/percy-jackson-rick-riordan-defends-leah-sava-jeffries-annabeth-chase\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Rick Riordan Slams Racist Backlash Over Annabeth Casting&#8221; Leah Sava Jeffries will play Annabeth Chase in Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. And while the vast majority of the Percy Jackson fandom is celebrating the fact that Annabeth will be played by a Black actor, there are unfortunately those spewing hate over Jeffries\u2019 casting&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":444877,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.tvinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/rick-riordan-leah-sava-jeffries-1014x570.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-444876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-mediaa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444876"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444876\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/444877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}