Percy Jackson launches open casting call to find lead actor for Disney+ series

28 April 2021, 11:20

Rick Riordan announces that Percy Jackson is coming to Disney+

By Sam Prance

Rick Riordan is looking for someone of any ethnicity who can play 12 to star in the lead role.

Disney+ have officially begun casting for their Percy Jackson series and anyone who can play 12 can audition to play Percy.

Last year (May 14), Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan took to social media to announce that Disney+ would be adapting all five Percy Jackson books into a TV series. He also revealed that he and his wife, Becky Riordan, would be heavily involved in the show to make sure that it was a far more loyal adaptation of the books than the previous Percy Jackson movies.

Now, Disney+ have launched an open casting call to find their new Percy and it sounds like Rick is keeping his promises.

Percy Jackson launches open casting call to find lead actor for Disney+ series. Picture: 20th Century Fox

Taking to his website, Rick has posted preliminary information about the casting. He wrote: "We are looking for an actor who can “play 12.” That allows for a range in the actual age of the actor, but the goal is to stay true to the original story and have Percy’s character age from 12 to 16 over the course of the TV series, assuming of course we are lucky enough to make all five seasons. That will depend on viewership on Disney+, which is where all of you can help!"

As to whether the actor playing Percy needs to be a specific ethnicity, Rick explained: "That is not part of the casting call description. We are looking for the best person who can embody the character we all know and love from the books."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rick Riordan (@rickriordan)

If you know a child or teenager who would be perfect for the role, all you have to do is film them acting out their favourite passage from Percy Jackson and the Olympians. You then email the audition tape along with information about the auditionee to WDT.PercyJacksonOpenCall@disney.com.

For more information about the audition process visit: HERE.