Percy Jackson and the Olympians Star Walker Scobell on the Disney+ Series: ‘I Don’t Want to Let Anyone Down’
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is bringing the holiday cheer with the first two episodes of the live-action Disney+ fantasy series, which are now available six hours ahead of schedule. Additionally, Episode 1 is streaming on Hulu.
Adapted from Rick Riordan’s bestselling book series, the show tells the fantastical story of the 12-year-old titular demigod, who’s just coming to terms with his divine powers when he is tasked with finding the missing bolt. With help from his friends Grover and Annabeth, Percy must undergo the adventure of a lifetime to restore order to Olympus.
More from TVLine
Percy Jackson Premiere Draws 13.3 Million Views, a Streaming Record for Disney Branded Television
Doctor Who's 'The Goblin Song': Ncuti Gatwa Spills Secrets About Christmas Special's Delicious Bop
Doctor Who Christmas Special Recap: Fifteen's Team-Up With Ruby Sunday Is a Most Entertaining Gift
The Adam Project’s Walker Scobell, who stars as Percy, says he felt the pressure to do right by fans of Riordan’s beloved books and worked hard to capture the character’s youthful spirit on screen.
“I don’t want to let anyone down. I want to watch the show myself,” Scobell tells TVLine. “I really tried my best — I think we all did — but we made my Percy… it’s easy to forget that they’re kids at the beginning of it, and I think [the writers] add a little bit more of that. His emotions are a lot less controlled.”
Annabeth, on the other hand, is known by book fans to keep her emotions in check. Leah Sava Jeffries, who portrays the astute and headstrong half-mortal daughter of Athena, notes that it can be “challenging trying to bring the vulnerability of her out” alongside the focused and independent parts of her. “We worked really hard to add a mixture of a lot of things,” she shares.
Given their very different personalities, Percy and Annabeth often butt heads, and it’s Grover — the satyr charged with looking after Percy — who steps up as the group’s mediator.
“It’s a little hard to remember that he is also his own person,” Aryan Simhadri, who plays the aspiring Searcher (one who searches for the Greek god Pan), shares. “He’s tasked with a child of the big three. He’s going through a lot. What I wanted to bring out in this character was that he’s his own person. He’s going through his own things, but despite all that, he still wants to bring balance to the group.”
Best of TVLine
Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
