‘Percy Jackson’ Disney+ Series Casts Aryan Simhadri as Grover, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGarrett Hedlund has joined the cast of the Sylverster Stallone-led Paramount+ series “Tulsa King,” Variety has learned exclusively.The series follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Stallone) just after he is released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, OK. Realizing that his mob family may not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a “crew” from a group of unlikely characters, to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet.Hedlund will appear in the series regular role of Mitch Keller, an Oklahoma native and ex bull-rider who retired prematurely after injuries led to addiction.

Just days after Leah Sava Jeffries' casting as Annabeth Chase in Disney Plus' Percy Jackson TV series, Alexandra Daddario is showing her support after several hateful comments surfaced online.Daddario, 36, originally played Annabeth Chase in the 2010 movie Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and 2013's Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.Some fans were upset that 12-year-old Jeffries was cast since she is a Black actress and does not 'match' the character, since she was written as white in the original books by Rick Riordan, but both Daddario and Riordan came to her defense on Tuesday. Support:Just days after Leah Sava Jeffries' casting as Annabeth Chase in Disney Plus' Percy Jackson TV series, Alexandra Daddario is showing her support after several hateful comments surfaced online Upset:Some fans were upset that 12-year-old Jeffries was cast since she is a Black actress and does not 'match' the character, since she was written as white in the original books by Rick Riordan, but both Daddario and Riordan came to her defense on TuesdayDaddario took to Twitter on Tuesday with a simple and supportive message for the young actress: 'Leah Jeffries is going to be an incredible Annabeth!!!'Jeffries was announced as Annabeth Chase on Thursday alongside 16-year-oldAryan Simhadri as Grover, weeks after Walker Scobell (The Adam Project) was announced as the new Percy Jackson.

Alexandra Daddario is speaking out about the backlash to Leah Sava Jeffries taking over the role of Annabeth Chase in Disney+’s upcoming Percy Jackson series.

Actress Alexandra Daddario has chimed in on the backlash against Leah Jeffries casting as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Disney+ show Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Daddario previously played Annabeth Chase in two Percy Jackson films The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters. 

Last week, Disney+ announced its lead cast for “Percy Jackson and the Olympians”, the upcoming series based on Rick Riordan’s popular “Percy Jackson” book series.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming Apple limited series “Manhunt,” which details the hunt for presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth, has added seven new cast members.Brandon Flynn, Betty Gabriel, Will Harrison, Hamish Linklater, Damian O’Hare, Patton Oswalt and Lili Taylor have all joined the cast of the show. They join previously announced cast members Tobias Menzies, Anthony Boyle, Lovie Simone, and Matt Walsh.“Manhunt” is a true crime series based on the events of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and the book “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” by James Swanson.

Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan put 'racist' trolls on blast in a scathing statement following the online harassment of 12-year-old Leah Jeffries, a Black actress, who was recently cast in the TV adaptation of the fantasy series.In a post shared to his website Tuesday, Riordan slammed a subset of fans upset that the role of Annabeth, which is 'described as white in the books,' will be played by a young Black girl. 'Friends, that is racism,' he wrote.The 57-year-old expressed his sadness that he even had to defend the casting and said in no uncertain terms that the role went to the best actress for the part, adding: 'We should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong.' 'That is racism':Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan put 'racist' trolls on blast in a scathing statement following the online harassment of 12-year-old Leah Jeffries, a Black actress, who was recently cast in the TV adaptation of the fantasy series (Riordan, left; Jeffries, right)'This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase,' Riordan penned.Last weekDisney+ rounded out the cast of the upcoming series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, announcing Leah Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri as Annabeth and Grover.

Rick Riordan, author of the popular YA adventure novel series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, is speaking out amid backlash in casting one of his characters in Disney+’s upcoming series adaptation.

Zack Sharf “Percy Jackson” author Rick Riordan published a blog post May 10 condemning the racist backlash against Leah Jeffries, the young actor who is set to play Annabeth Chase in the upcoming Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” Variety exclusively reported Jeffries’ casting on May 5. The actor will star in the show opposite Walker Scobell as Percy and Aryan Simhadri as Grover. Some “Percy Jackson” fans have expressed outrage online over Jeffries playing Annabeth because the Black actor does not match the skin color of the character as originally written in Riordan’s novels.“This post is specifically for those who have a problem with the casting of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase,” Riordan writes.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterStephanie Hsu is set for a guest starring role in Disney+ series “American Born Chinese,” Variety has learned exclusively.The role reunites Hsu with previously announced cast member Michelle Yeoh, with whom Hsu starred in the hit film “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, the series follows Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a teenager juggling his high school social life with his immigrant home life. When Jin meets foreign exchange student Wei-Chen (Jim Liu) on the first day of school, their worlds collide as Jin becomes entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMaisie Williams has joined the upcoming Apple drama series “The New Look.”Williams joins previously announced series leads Ben Mendelsohn and Juliette Binoche in the series. “The New Look” is set against the World War II Nazi Occupation of Paris when Coco Chanel’s (Binoche) reign as the world’s most famous fashion designer ends and Christian Dior (Mendelsohn) rises helping return spirit and life to the world with his ground-breaking, iconic brand.Williams will play the role of Catherine Dior, Christian’s younger sister and Medal of Honor winner for Courage in the cause of Freedom.Williams is best known for playing Arya Stark in the megahit HBO series “Game of Thrones.” She starred in all eight seasons of the series, earning two Emmy nominations for best supporting actress in a drama in the process.

Disney Plus has rounded out the cast of its upcoming series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri have been added in the roles of Annabeth and Grover, Variety reported.The Disney Plus series will be based on author Rick Riordan's fantasy novel series, with production getting under way this summer. Full cast: Leah Sava Jeffries (left) and Aryan Simhadri (right) have been cast in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians (starring Walker Scobell - center)The two child actors joinWalker Scobell as he takes on the titular role of Percy,a 12-year-old boy who is just starting to come to grips with the superhuman powers he possesses.The book series written by Rick Riordan was picked up by the streaming platform back in January.

Disney Plus has rounded out the cast of its upcoming series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri have been added in the roles of Annabeth and Grover, Variety reported.The Disney Plus series will be based on author Rick Riordan's fantasy novel series, with production getting under way this summer. Full cast: Leah Sava Jeffries (left) and Aryan Simhadri (right) have been cast in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians (starring Walker Scobell - center)The two child actors joinWalker Scobell as he takes on the titular role of Percy,a 12-year-old boy who is just starting to come to grips with the superhuman powers he possesses.The book series written by Rick Riordan was picked up by the streaming platform back in January.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Last Thing He Told Me” series adaptation at Apple has added three new cast members, Variety has learned exclusively.Geoff Stults (“Little Fires Everywhere,” “Guilty Party”), John Harlan Kim (“LA Law,” “9-1-1”), and Augusto Aguilera (“Made for Love,” “Promised Land”) will all appear in the series. Jennifer Garner will star along with previously announced cast members including Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Angourie Rice, and Aisha Tyler.The series is based on the Laura Dave novel of the same name. The show follows Hannah (Garner), a woman who forms an unexpected relationship with her sixteen-year-old stepdaughter Bailey (Rice) while searching for the truth about why her husband Owen (Coster-Waldau) has mysteriously disappeared.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming Paramount+ drama series “Tulsa King” has added A.C. Peterson to its cast, Variety has learned exclusively.Sylvester Stallone will lead the series, with Max Casella, Domenick Lombardozzi, Vincent Piazza and Jay Will also starring.

Disney Plus has rounded out the cast of its upcoming series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri have been added in the roles of Annabeth and Grover, Variety reported.The Disney Plus series will be based on author Rick Riordan's fantasy novel series, with production getting under way this summer. Full cast: Leah Sava Jeffries (left) and Aryan Simhadri (right) have been cast in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians (starring Walker Scobell - center)The two child actors joinWalker Scobell as he takes on the titular role of Percy,a 12-year-old boy who is just starting to come to grips with the superhuman powers he possesses.The book series written by Rick Riordan was picked up by the streaming platform back in January.

There was some big Disney+ casting news revealed for the Percy Jackson series! – Just Jared Jr We didn’t realize this about Duchess Meghan – Celebitchy Meet the stylist behind Jodie Turner-Smith‘s Met Gala gown – Popsugar Taylor Swift fans are going to love this news! – Just Jared Jr

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEd O’Neill is set to play Donald Sterling in the upcoming FX limited series “The Sterling Affairs,” Variety has learned.The show was picked up to series at FX back in April. It is based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast of the same name. O’Neill joins previously announced stars Laurence Fishburne and Jacki Weaver.The six-episode series tells the behind the scenes story of Doc Rivers (Fishburne) and the Los Angeles Clippers’ quest to bring a championship to one of the historically worst franchises in all of sports during the impending downfall of the team’s owner, Donald Sterling (O’Neill), whose notoriously racist behavior is brought to light amid the power struggle between his wife of 60+ years, Shelly Sterling (Weaver), and his mistress, V.

Percy Jackson has found his fellow heroes. Aryan Simhadri (Disney’s Spin) and Leah Sava Jeffries (Empire) have been tapped to star alongside Walker Scobell in Disney+s Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” breaks new ground among the more recent “Trek” shows by going back to the old ways — that is to say that the show is much more episodic as compared to the heavily serialized “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Star Trek: Picard.”In an interview with Variety, series star Anson Mount said that the idea of the show following that format was always the intention of its creators and allowed the cast to “get ourselves out of the way a little bit.”“I like to think that Pike is not the star of the show,” said Mount, who plays Captain Christopher Pike. “The star of the show is the Enterprise.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple is developing a series version of “The Prince of Tides.”The series would be a remake of the 1991 film of the same name, which was itself an adaptation of the 1986 novel by Pat Conroy. Like the film, the series would follow Tom Wingo, who travels to New York after his sister attempts suicide. While there, he develops a relationship with his sister’s therapist, Susan Lowenstein, while also delving into painful memories from his childhood.Tate Taylor will write and executive produce the adaptation, with John Norris executive producing with Taylor under their Wyolah Entertainment banner.