Percy Jackson Star Supports Leah Jeffries After Fan Backlash

Alexandra Daddario is sharing some demigod magic with Leah Sava Jeffries.

Alexandra, who originally played half-mortal half-goddess Annabeth Chase in the Percy Jackson films, expressed support for Leah, tweeting on May 11, “Leah Jeffries is going to be an incredible Annabeth!!!”

Her tweet comes after some  fans reacted badly to the news that Leah would play Annabeth in the new Percy Jackson and the Olympians Disney+ series.

Alexandra isn’t the only one defending Leah. On May 10, Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan called out fans for “bullying and harassing a child” in a blog post. Riordan wrote, “It’s a shame such posts need to be written, but they do….If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. You have no one else to blame.”

Riordan, who is also a writer on the Disney+ series, shared insight into the casting process: “I have been clear, as the author, that I was looking for the best actors to inhabit and bring to life the personalities of these characters, and that physical appearance was secondary for me,” Riordan explained. “We did that. We took a year to do this process thoroughly and find the best of the best. This trio is the best. Leah Jeffries is Annabeth Chase.”