display: none !important; (2019). She seems to live a comfortable life and enjoys traveling a lot. Leah was born in the year 2009 to her amazing parents. Riordan's own dedication to diversity and his choice to remain a large part of the casting and story for the series has added to the support behind casting decisions made. Although her mother has been in charge of her since she was a child. That promise was broken when Disney announced the casting for the series that race swaps Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood. Bruce is Newspaper Head and Blogger. She also has a vehicle. Since then, Leah has appeared alongside Taraji P . In a press release, Disney announced Annabeth will be played by Leah Sava Jeffries while Grover will be portrayed by Aryan Simhadri. . During her recent Instagram Live, Jeffries thanked her supporters for showing her love while she copes with the racist backlash. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . Leah Sava Jeffries While Annabeth wasn't race swapped in the first live-action film, they did fail to get her eye color and hair color correct as Alexandra Daddario kept her dark brown hair. { She never did.". "Getting yelled at? People on the internet are being racist and awful to children once again because the casting of a TV show doesnt fit their fanon. Jeffries has a black pair of eyes with black long braided hair. At the age of 5, she stepped into the acting field. The actress was born Leah Sava Jeffries in 2009 in Detroit, Michigan, the United States. Besides, there are no insights about her body measurement. On the contrary, the stereotypes surrounding young Black girls, unfortunately, continue to persist today and casting Jeffries as Annabeth feels like another wonderful step in the right direction (even if the backlash indicates otherwise). According to sources, the details about her net worth have not yet been disclosed. Leah shares a happy home with her father, Floyd S. Jeffries Jr., and mother, Lee Jeffries. Leah Sava' Jeffries (@leahsavajeffries) on Instagram: "love. In his young life, Aryan Simhadri has already proven himself a veteran actor. She made her acting debut in 2015 when she took on the role of Lola in the television series Empire. Since the reveal of her role as Annabeth in the . ", "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. Now, fans can get excited because Aryan Simhadri and Leah Sava Jeffries have just been announced to be playing Percy Jacksons two best friends Grover and Annabeth as production on the series gets ready to begin soon in Vancouver. Lil Jerz is a stunning, pretty young woman with a wonderful attitude. But the actress has since received support from Riordan Chase's creator and Daddario, who formerly played the fictional character. This article is written from a real world point of view. Lance Reddick will play Zeus in the upcoming Disney+ series, with Toby Stephens cast as Poseidon, Percy Jackson's father. Last week, Disney+ announced Jeffries, 12, had been cast as Annabeth Chase, one of Percy Jackson's close friends, for the upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. By Rosy Cordero. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Additionally, she is also cast in Percy Jackson and the Olympians as Annabeth Chase. She appeared in Great Expressions Orthodontic Centers advertisement. A one-stop-shop for all things video games. This project was postponed due to covid-19 pandemic rules. I expect the show to attempt to promote disordered lifestyles and immoral behavior in order to change hearts and minds., RELATED: Disney CEO Bob Chapek Claims Company Is A Force For Inclusion But Doesnt Want It Become A Political Football, Because that is indeed Disneys credo now as made clear by the companys Bob Chapek when he stated, Theres a reason content is at the top of this list. Join Facebook to connect with Leah Jeffries and others you may know. While Annabeth wasnt race swapped in the first live-action film, they did fail to get her eye color and hair color correct as Alexandra Daddario kept her dark brown hair. Goldberg. Annabeths key character trait is that shes an intellectual genius. In 2019, she was seen in the role of Monique in PawParazzi. In Riordans first Percy Jackson book, The Lightning Thief, Grover is described in the opening pages, He was scrawny. In the post, Riordan stated he "was looking for the best actors to inhabit and bring to life the personalities of these characters, and that physical appearance was secondary" and went on to say that the actors chosen for the roles were chosen because they were truly the best. This casting announcement and Riordans defense of it, not only shows another of Disneys broken promises, but it highly indicates the series will be infected by the woke mind virus that has seemingly taken over the entire Walt Disney Company. He is not book-accurate casting. new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js' Steinberg and his producing partner Dan Shotz are overseeing the series and serve as executive producers alongside Bobin, Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, Anders Engstrm, Jet Wilkinson, and Gotham Groups Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. In response to the many people defending their complaints with arguments of "loyalty and accuracy," Riordan said, "you are judging her appropriateness for this role solely and exclusively on how she looks. Simhadri started his acting career young appearing in commercials. } Shows such as Shadow and Bone with its casting of Alina (Jessie Mei Li) are proving more and more that casting specifically based on the physical characteristics of the original characters has become less important over time. The show will be released in the year 2023. } ", A public announcement for #PercyJackson fans from Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries) pic.twitter.com/t7fCxd6brD. She has not yet disclosed the occupations of her parents in any public domain. "Making an explicitly white character [Black] feels like hes forcing and trying too hard in the wrong places," wrote one Twitter user after the announcement. w[ l ].push( { The actress is homeschooled. In the beginning, she did many local commercials and ads. Verified. Representation is tossed around and discussed so frequently that the impact it can have on young audiences can often be forgotten, especially when it comes to groups of children that rarely get to see themselves portrayed in the media. further, the sun sign of the artist is Libra. Clearly, Riordan provides a description of her hair color and her skin tone, none of those match up to Leah Sava Jeffries. Like, I know you think that's going to hurt me though. change_link = false; Theres a particular venom reserved for Black women who are cast in traditionally white roles. j = d.createElement( s ), dl = l != 'dataLayer' ? They both looked down at me and the girl said, Hes the one. You have no one else to blame," the author wrote, adding, "We should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. She earns per episode by working on a TV series and her work is also appreciated by the public. She never did.". In a press release from Disney+, she'sdescribed as a brilliant strategist with an active and curious mind. Reddick and Stephens will guest star as the major gods, Disney+ announced Thursday, January 26. She also vowed to not let her critics bring her down. Shes a 12 year-old from Detroit. if(change_link == true) { As per the reports of Variety,Aryan SimhadriandLeah Sava Jeffries will join Walker Scobell, who is playing the lead character ofPercy in the show. Wiki, Biography, Family & Facts About, Who is Paul Khoury? Courtesy of Irvin Rivera. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. During her recent Instagram Live, Jeffries thanked her supporters for showing her love while she copes with the racist backlash. Really, this whole thing is white fragility, and specifically the kind that targets Black women. change_link = true; After this, in the year 2018, she became part of another Tv show named Faith Under ire and played the role of Fiona. My Thoughts on Leah Sava Jeffries . EXCLUSIVE: M88 has signed emerging, young actress Leah Sava Jeffries ( Beast, Empire ). } This has always been one of my favorite universes. Leah Jeffries: Depiction To Body Measurements Leah Jeffries has the tallness of 4 feet 2 inches. . }; yt people deserve nothing. "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. function external_links_in_new_windows_loop() { She played the part of Monique in PawParazzi in 2019. Thankfully, Leah Sava' Jeffries, the actress and native Detroiter who costars as Lola, has a less-complicated life. Rick Riordan's 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' gets go-ahead from Disney Plus, Rick Riordan speaks about his dislike for Percy Jackson films, says 'We're gonna fix it', Rick Riordan teases fans with sneak peek into 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' on Disney+, 'The Kane Chronicles' to become a Netflix feature film, announces Rick Riordan, 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' song-writer 'overwhelmed and grateful' as number tops charts, Delhi DyCM Sisodia moves SC challenging arrest and CBI probe; urgent hearing today, BJP leaders meet Shah and Nadda over alleged 'South Group Link' in liquor scam, Galwan martyrs father arrested, allegedly thrashed by Bihar cops over his sons memorial, 'Percy Jackson': Makers cast Leah Sava Jeffries & Aryan Simhadri in new Disney+ series, 'Percy Jackson' series to be developed for Disney+, confirms author Rick Riordan. Leah has a big collection of numerous expensive stuff. Alexandra, who originally played half-mortal half-goddess Annabeth Chase in the Percy Jackson films, expressed support for . When a character is so beloved by a group of fans, its often difficult for them to reckon with any portrayal of that character that falls outside of the image theyve created in their minds. "Do we need to have a talk about the intersectionality of misogyny and racism? With help from his friends, Grover and Annabeth, Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus. Jeffries' Tiktok page had to be taken down due to the amount of harassment she was receiving. This isnt the first time Grover has been race swapped. Leah also has a lovely smile and a nice skin. "I'm still confident in myself," Jeffries continued. The new Percy Jackson series is already proving to be a great example of this, welcoming new interpretations of its beloved characters into its ranks and defying expectations as it does so. "To whoever is hating, stop doing that! As per the sources, Jeffries is getting paid around USD 20-35k (approx.) Alexandra Daddario is sharing some demigod magic with Leah Sava Jeffries. var f = d.getElementsByTagName( s )[ 0 ], Goldberg. "We took a year to do this process thoroughly and find the best of the best. Why, exactly, are fans so up-in-arms surrounding the casting choice of Annabeth Chase? // ignored Despite having a lot of attractive co-stars, she has never talked about her romantic relationships. Leah was Child Ambassador of CD4 Kids a national hair care product. .postid-1764461 .panel-signup { (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Deepika Verma is an Indian Content Creator, App Developer, SEO/SMO expert, and Co-Founder of NewsUnzip media Company. Fans are excited to see her in this role. Leah is very young to be in a relationship. display: none; Published May 5, 2022 The Percy Jackson Disney+ TV series has cast Aryan Simhadri as Grover and Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth following Walker Scobell's casting as Percy. ", Anyone can be a hero.If you dont get that, if youre still upset about the casting of this marvelous trio, then it doesnt matter how many times you have read the books. #post-1784265 .brightcove-video-container { color: yellow!important; Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Hes still conscious. While this description does not mention his race or skin color, an official graphic novel adaptation of the first novel by Robert Venditti and Attila Futaki and published by Disneys Hyperion Books depicts him as white. The Walt Disney Company continued to show their true colors as they broke another one of their promises with the race swapping of Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood for their upcoming Disney+ series. Or even the overwhelmingly positive response to Rwandan actorNcuti Gatwa as BBCs newest Dr Who. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Author Rick Riordan is letting anyone who calls themselves a fan of hisPercy Jacksonfranchise that racism will never be tolerated. } Annabeth doesn't belong to you. Leah has a cute face with a charming smile. text-align: center; No. Her replacement name is Leah Sava Jeffries. window.onload = function(){ // forced May 10, 2022 Shannen Michaelsen Last week, it was announced that Leah Sava Jeffries would portray Annabeth Chase and Aryan Simhadri would portray Grover Underwood in the upcoming "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series on Disney+. The main trio of Percy Jackson and the Olympians has officially been cast for the upcoming Disney Plus show. RELATED: Percy Jackson Finds Its Annabeth and Grover in Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri. (function() { Leah belongs to a well-settled family with her parents Floyd S Jeffries Jr (father) and mother Lee Jeffries. She is highly active on social media, and her Instagram account has more than 147k followers. Moreover, she is extremely focused on building a career in the field of acting. Also on hand for the premiere was her on-screen dad Idris Elba, with his wife Sabrina and daughter Isan, as well as as her on . Leah Sava Jeffries stuns at the premiere of her new movie, Beast. RELATED: Report: Disney And Pixars Lightyear Films Same-Sex Couple Pretty Front And Center At CinemaCon. This trio is the best. Hey,
} )( window, document, 'script', 'dataLayer', 'GTM-W5PMGDG' ); However, this is the first time they race swapped Annabeth Chase. RELATED: After Embracing Grooming Children Into LGBTQ+ Lifestyles, New Polls Show People Are Less Likely To Do Business With Disney As Well As A Growing Distrust For The Company, Author Rick Riordan fully endorsed the race swaps. Aryan Simhadri, best known for Disney's Spin, and Leah Sava Jeffries, known for Empire, will star alongside. Answer (1 of 12): I am going to be completely honest, I didn't like it, at first. display: none !important; This Disney+ Original Series will . Since the main cast of Percy Jackson for Disney+ was first announced, there's been a disheartening amount of backlash in response to some of the choices that were made, namely when it comes to the decision to cast Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. He cried when he got frustrated. Actor. Every member of the Jeffries family is a Christian. In his spare time, Aidan participates in an Improv comedy group. When more people from a specific group are given more chances to try, then it stands to reason that more people from that group will succeed. "You refuse to believe her selection could have been based on merit. She began performing when she was just 5 years old. display: none !important; oldonload(); Leah Sava Jeffries, a young actress, has joined the cast of Disney+'s Percy Jackson And The Olympians, alongside Walker Scobell and Aryan Simhadri. } Her whiteness has no bearing on the plot of Percy Jackson except for being something white, blonde, grey-eyed girls can project on to. But this will be an adaptation that I am proud of, and which fully honors the spirit ofPercy Jackson and the Olympians, taking the bedtime story I told my son twenty years ago to make him feel better about being neurodivergent, and improving on it so that kids all over the world can continue to see themselves as heroes at Camp Half-Blood. He has a mixture of sweetness, humor and internal toughness that is perfect for our favorite satyr., He added, Grover has some big flying shoes to fill, but Aryan is exactly the right guy for the job. Rebecca, who serves as an executive producer for the new Disney+ program, criticized the hatred directed toward Jeffries, writing on Twitter, "Leave Leah alone.". Leah was born to her wonderful parents in the year 2009. if(typeof window.DotMetricsObj != 'undefined') {DotMetricsObj.onAjaxDataUpdate();} if(force != '' && all_links.href.search(force) != -1) { The show started in the year 2015 and ran for one year. Percy Jackson Finds Its Annabeth and Grover in Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri, Percy Jackson Author Rick Riordan Reveals When the Disney+ Series Starts Shooting. Reportedly, the author of Percy Jackson named Rick Riordan defends the young actress Leah Jeffries after she got criticism for casting as Annabeth Chase. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Grover (Simhadri) and Annabeth (Jeffries) join Percy as he sets out on a quest to recover Zeus stolen master lightning bolt, which he has been accused of taking. She has been featured by Little Entrepreneurs of America as Entrepreneur of the month in November. A one-stop-shop for all things video games. Leah Sava Jeffries, on the other hand, is all set to step into the shoes ofAnnabeth Chase, who is the true daughter of Athena with a gift for strategy and a curious mind. As for Jeffries, her audition was everything Riordan wanted from someone to play Annabeth as he said "Leah is exactly the way I imagined Annabeth in the books: smart, strong and courageous, a . NEXT: More Disney Rot Exposed, Company Uses Benefits Programs For Gender Affirmation Procedures To Assist Their Employees And Children To Transition, Aryan SimhadriDisneyLeah Sava JeffriesPercy JacksonPercy Jackson and the OlympiansRick Riordan. But this will be an adaptation that I am proud of, and which fully honors the spirit of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, taking the bedtime story I told my son twenty years ago to make him feel better about being neurodivergent, and improving on it so that kids all over the world can continue to see themselves as heroes at Camp Half-Blood.". August 22, 2022 12:47pm. Using the Percy Jackson franchise as an example, in the original books, Annabeth was meant to be a commentary on the "dumb blonde" stereotype, pushing back against the trope by making her a child of the literal goddess of wisdom, Athena. 1:52 Leah Sava Jeffries landed her first big role at age 5 on Fox's "Empire." Now the 12-year-old actress from metro Detroit will star in the upcoming Disney+ series "Percy Jackson and the. All Rights Reserved. window.onload = func; She cuts her birthday cake on a special date September 25 every year. Shes shrewd, calculating, stubborn, and sometimes perceived to be cold. She was seen in a commercial for Art Vans 55th Anniversary. Actress Leah Sava Jeffries has been met with considerable backlash upon the announcement of her casting. 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 the lines they were given. Some of you have apparently felt offended or exasperated when your objections are called out online as racist. I mean, I could write a whole new article on how the lack of outrage around Grover being South Asian is probably its own depiction of racism, since clearly to these people an Indian nerd is fine, but a Black heroine is unrealistic? } Well let you know as soon as the actress announces who her partner is. So don't try to bring me down. Percy Jackson and the Olympians has found its final Gods. You didnt learn anything from them. #LeahIsOurAnnabethhttps://t.co/DGeOzrjZuw. w[ l ] = w[ l ] || []; She will be working along with Aryan Simhadri as Grover. Alexandra Daddario and author Rick Riordan are supporting Leah Sava Jeffries amid backlash over her casting in Disney+'s new Percy Jackson show. By making her Black, the new Percy Jackson series gives us a broader and more inclusive representation of what strong female characters look like but clearly certain fans are upset at losing the vision of white girl-boss feminism theyve become attached to. Its important to note the support Black actorReg-Jean Pagehad when Bridgerton cast him to play a character who was white in the books. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. function external_links_in_new_windows_load(func) 'gtm.start': She is a Black girl playing someone who was described in the books. Leah Jeffries: Social Media Profile Leah Jeffries is dynamic on Instagram. "We should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. var change_link = false; 'Percy Jackson' Author Condemns Racist Attacks on Leah Sava Jeffries Casting. document.links = document.getElementsByTagName('a'); dm.AjaxData.push({ et: et,d: d,ssid: ssid,ad: ad}); The actress adores her parents and is very grateful for their unwavering support. .postid-1764461 .sidebar-widget.popular-jobs-widget{ But I am not racist, you say. Leah Jeffries (I) on IMDb: Movies, Tv, Celebrities, and more. "They literally took down my whole account,"she said. Meet Leah Sava Jeffries Parents. This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. As soon as you see her on the screen, you will know what I mean. She stands at a height of approximately 5 feet and 4 inches and weighs about 53 kg. Leah Sava Jeffries was born in the Metro Detroit area and started her career appearing in local commercials when she was a mere three years old. Riordan admits this in a detailed blog post from May 10 that is notable for how specifically he calls out those who are attacking Jeffries: Anyway, Nancy Bobofit was throwing wads of sandwich that stuck in his curly brown hair, and she knew I couldnt do anything back to her because I was already on probation, Riordan wrote. Watch. After three years she was seen in a TV movie named Faith Under Fire as Fiona and a TV series named Rel as Brandi/Erica/Lisa. There are no specific details about her education. In the American television Fox series Empire, Leah Jeffries began her career adventure in 2015 by assuming the enviable role of Lola Lyon, the on-screen daughter of Terrence Howard. Annabeth is a smart strategist and a strong fighter who agrees to join Percy and help him on his quest. However, it does match up to how she is depicted in the graphic novel. #PJOCastDeservesRespectpic.twitter.com/sow2d1tVk1. "We took a year to do this process thoroughly and find the best of the best. Leah is been an active kid since her childhood days. Jeffries is playing Annabeth Chase, another demigod who is the daughter of the Greek goddess Athena. Follow. He recently starred in Disney+'s film Cheaper by the Dozen and in the Disney Channel's Spin. They join previously announced series lead Walker Scobell, who will play Percy . Wiki, Biography, Husband, Age,, Who is Caden McGuire? Leah Jeffries Is Annabeth Chase as Far as Percy Jackson Author Rick Riordan Is Concerned The stars of Disney+ series were recently announced, and Riordan has a message for anyone who took issue. Leah Sava Jeffries (born September 25, 2009) is an actress who will portray Annabeth Chase in the Disney+ adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Leah has dark brown color beautiful eyes as well as black color shining hair. It seems that she has not shared many details about her family background but has grown up in a loving and supporting environment. 1,542 following. Stay tuned to Collider for any future updates on Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Leah Jeffries is an American Child actress who gained fame by working on Fox series named Empire. Disclosure Information: Some of the organizations with products on our site may pay us a referral fee or affiliate commission when you click to apply for those products. Leah Sava' Jeffries. Like, I know you think that's going to hurt me though. Her feed is filled with pictures of her, with her cast, friends, and family. padding-left: 16px; document.links[t].setAttribute('onClick', 'javascript:window.open(\''+all_links.href+'\'); return false;'); Log in. She will be 12 years old as of 2021. On Tuesday, the writer published a blog post condemning the racist backlash against Leah Sava Jeffries, the 12-year-old actress cast to play Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Disney+ series,. Leah has earned a lot by working in commercials and films or series. The exact details about her education have not been shared with the media yet. The reality of the matter is that, when an effort is made to be more inclusive, those who might have been overlooked before based solely on race/gender/etc. The television programme will debut in 2023. In the books, Annabeth is described as a young white girl, with blonde hair and gray eyes. Riordan commented on the sudden influx of hate being directed at Jeffries, as well as her co-star, 'Breaking Bad' and 9 Other TV Shows You Must Watch From the First Episode, According to Reddit, The Significance of That 'Moon Knight' Song You Can't Get Out of Your Head, The True Story Behind Netflix's 'Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal'. .podcast-banner.show_mobile { .page-id-1799240 .entry-title { ', Later in the novel, Riordan wrote, She was probably my age, maybe a couple of inches taller, and a whole lot more athletic looking. "If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. Aidan King is a graduate of Fitchburg State University and loves writing and talking about both movies and tv. More information. Jeffries like switching up her haircut frequently. Varietyfirst broke the newsof Jeffries'casting on May 5. Fans are already excited to see the young actress in the . ( function( w, d, s, l, i ) { Despite none of the three actors resembling the characters as they were originally written inRiordan's novels, Jeffries' casting specifically facedoutrage online because she is Black and Annabeth has been portrayed as white. (photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages). She has worked with many handsome co-stars but never opened up about her love life. // console.log('Changed ' + all_links.href); for (var t=0; t