Meet Poseidon & Zeus: ‘Percy Jackson’ Series Adds Toby Stephens, Lance Reddick
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians has found its final Gods. Lance Reddick will play Zeus in the upcoming Disney+ series, with Toby Stephens cast as Poseidon, Percy Jackson’s father. See a photo of them with Percy actor Walker Scobell below.
Reddick and Stephens will guest star as the major gods, Disney+ announced Thursday, January 26. There was a cohort of Logan Lerman fans on social media who have been expressing their hope of seeing the former Percy Jackson actor cast as Poseidon since the series was announced. Nonetheless, these actors are more than fitting for the roles. And who’s to say Lerman (who has previously said that if author Rick Riordan has a role for him, he’d eagerly consider it) can’t appear in the series in a different capacity?
Stephens and Reddick join Scobell as the titular teen demigod, Aryan Simhadri as Grover, and Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades are the big three Greek mythological figures in Percy Jackson. As previously announced, Jay Duplass will play Hades.
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“Percy Jackson and the Olympians tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt,” Disney+ teases. “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.”
Although seemingly absent in Percy’s life, many of Poseidon’s qualities live in Percy; stubbornness, impulsiveness, and loyalty. Though he has stayed away throughout Percy’s life, his deep feelings for his son (and Percy’s human mother, Sally) are evident. Sally Jackson will be played by Virginia Kull.
As for Reddick’s role, the all-powerful god of the sky and leader of Mount Olympus is tempestuous and mistrustful. He’s promised to wage a war if his stolen thunderbolt is not returned.
Stephens recently wrapped on Netflix limited series One Day, based on the book by David Nicholls, where he plays the role of Lionel Cope (Sylvie’s father). He has recently finished filming the pilot of History Of A Pleasure Seeker for Hulu in which he plays a leading role. Additional credits include Netflix’s Lost In Space, Captain Flint in four seasons of Black Sails, Alex Rider, Hunter Killer, Jane Eyre, And Then There Were None, Vexed, and more.
Reddick is known for the John Wick franchise and HBO’s The Wire in which he played Baltimore Police Col. Cedric Daniels. He’ll soon be seen in 20th Century’s remake of White Men Can’t Jump and Shirley, Netflix’s biopic of former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, as well as the fourth John Wick movie, reprising his role as Continental Hotel concierge Charon, and the John Wick spinoff Ballerina. Additional upcoming titles include The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial from Paramount Global and Showtime. Previous works include the Netflix Resident Evil series, Bosch, Fringe, Corporate, American Horror Story, Oz, Lost, and One Night in Miami.
The actors are two of the latest names added to the already star-studded Percy Jackson and the Olympians cast. Additional guest stars include Megan Mullally (“Alecto” aka “Mrs. Dodds”), Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hermes”), Glynn Turman (“Chiron” aka “Mr. Brunner”), Jason Mantzoukas (“Dionysus” aka “Mr. D”), Timm Sharp (“Gabe Ugliano”), Dior Goodjohn (“Clarisse La Rue”), Charlie Bushnell (“Luke Castellan”), Olivea Morton (“Nancy Bobofit”), Adam Copeland (“Ares”), Suzanne Cryer (“Echidna”), Jessica Parker Kennedy (“Medusa”), and Timothy Omundson (“Hephaestus”).
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, TBA, Disney+
