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Percy Jackson & The Olympians – “Episode 102” (Disney/David Bukach) By Lynnette Nicholas ·Updated December 18, 2023
“I’m not trying to be like anyone else. I want to be myself, and I want to make sure that other girls understand that too.” -Leah Sava Jeffries
Leah Sava Jeffries (Beast, Rel, Something From Tiffany’s) is the teenage, Black female lead of Percy Jackson and The Olympians based on the wildly popular Percy Jackson fantasy book series, of the same name written by bestselling author, Rick Riordan. Set to premiere on December 20th on Disney+.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians follow Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) on a dangerous quest with the assistance of questmates Annabeth and Grover (Aryam Simhadri). In the new television series, Jeffries plays Annabeth Chase, a young daughter of Athena, the Greek Goddess of war. Like her fictional mother Athena, Jeffries’ Annabeth is fearless and the most skilled fighter in the camp.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians – “Episode 102” (Disney/David Bukach) In a recent interview with Essence, Jeffries shared that while in the book series, Annabeth Chase is white and blonde, she did not let that deter her from attending the casting call wearing her hair in its natural, authentic state. She quips that the casting teams loved her reads even more when she showed up with her natural hairstyles. “My first two self-tapes were braids, and my third audition and chemistry read, I had my natural hair out. I feel really great when I film with my natural hair. It just makes me feel like I can play more of any character, especially strong characters.”
Despite both backlash about being cast as Annabeth Chase, and many new loyal fans, Jeffries’ inner strength and fearlessness are by design. She is surrounded by maternal supportive women who model for her the type of woman that she strives to be. Jeffries attributes her fun persona and courageousness to her mother, aunt, and the influence of her grandmother, the matriarch of her family.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians – “Episode 105” (Disney/David Bukach) “First, I have to say that my mother [has the greatest influence on me], because I am definitely a mini version of her. We have the same name “Leah” and I love her so much. She is the person who stays up late at night and wakes up early in the morning and does my hair, and she helps me with picking out my clothes, and everything. I’m definitely her mini-me, and people even say we sound alike. And, of course, my grandmother, because she taught my mother everything that she knows. And, my aunties, because when we are together, they share inspiration with me, and even help with my makeup. So, I stay pretty grounded.”
Jeffries understands the power of representation, showing up authentically as yourself, and realizing that fans will always have opinions. But, she also realizes that it’s important not to internalize the opinions of others. “I listen to people say things and try to tear me down. They say you are not her [Annabeth]. You can’t play her like Alexandra Daddario. But, you know what? They’re right. I’m not her, and I cannot play like her. But, I’m going to show you who I am, and how I’m going to play it. I’m not trying to be like anyone else. I want to be myself, and I want to make sure that other girls understand that too.”
Backlash is a gift, because it helps to develop inner strength and character. For Jeffries, it has helped to propel her forward. Despite some of the controversy over the casting, the executive teams and Disney have been very supportive of Jeffries throughout the casting process and beyond. The series co-creator Jon Steinberg and executive producer Dan Shotz both echoed that Jeffries was cast as a result of her acting and on-screen appeal above all else. In a statement to Essence, Steinberg stated, “We had no idea what we were looking for, but when Leah walked in and did her reads, we knew. Their talent speaks for itself, and you’ll recognize it when you see it on screen. All of the kids were exceptional.”
And, not only have the production team and author Riordan been vocal about their stance on their casting choices for the lead talent in the series, but they were also very supportive behind the scenes, too. Jeffries wants to make it known that the hair and makeup teams on set were both culturally and ethnically diverse as well. “Sometimes, I had African-American people do my hair [on set], and I had other people of different races do my hair as well. I actually like that they were all different because I think it’s important for people who are not Black to know how to do my hair, too. And on set, there were times when like five different people [of various backgrounds] were doing my hair at once. It was amazing.”
Percy Jackson and The Olympians premieres on Disney+ on December 20th.
The post Leah Jeffries Of ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’ Talks Breaking The Mold appeared first on Essence.
The X-Files is perhaps one of the most influential sci-fi shows of all time. Scully and Mulder’s investigations of the strange and unexplained still resonate with viewers and inspired future shows like Lost, Fringe, and Supernatural. Of course, we got a short-lived The X-Files revival with original stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson a few years ago. But that too is now a part of television history. And now, it seems we are once again exploring to see if the truth is still out there with a reboot of The X-Files led by none other than director Ryan Coogler.
The X-Files original series creator Chris Carter appeared on CBC’s On the Coast radio show to talk about the show in March 2023. During that interview, Carter revealed that he’d spoken with Ryan Coogler, who plans to reboot (or, as Carter says, “remount”) The X-Files with a diverse cast. He didn’t get into any more specifics, but he doesn’t have to. The thought of a supernatural investigative series led by a diverse cast is all we need to hear. Personally, my vote is for Mamoudou Athie and Nicole Beharie to be Mulder and Scully, respectively. And, Ryan Coogler is already a modern legend with the Black Panther and Creed franchises under his belt, so he can surely bring something incredible to The X-Files.
Although we haven’t heard much about Coogler’s X-Files series since March, recently, it popped up on our radars again. According to a report from Bloomberg, Disney continues to work on developing the series as of December 2023. We want to believe that this series is coming soon.
Originally published on March 28, 2023.
The post Ryan Coogler Will Make a New THE X-FILES Series appeared first on Nerdist.
Originally published Dec. 27, 2017
’Tis the season of Christmas trees on every corner and a flood of sentimental sensory overload designed to fill your head with visions of sugarplums (or the stocking stuffers of your wildest dreams).
Yet on any given day we awaken to unsettling, sometimes devastating, news: missile test-launches with their threats of mass destruction; murders of churchgoers, schoolchildren, and music lovers; computer hacks that put your financial security and very identity at risk, even as you fret over how the latest news on healthcare insurance and tax reform might impact your ability to live your best life. This is not the stuff that “Joy to the World” is made of.
All the lights, tinsel, and merry-making in the world can’t put a shine on the dull ache that grows heavier with every miserable prompt from your newsfeed.
It’s enough to make you call foul-la-la-la-la as your peaceful, silent nights give way to anxious, sleepless nights.
“Disturbing things are going to happen in the world. They always have, but we didn’t always know. Our brains are not equipped to absorb relentless chaos,” says psychiatrist Dr. Janet Taylor. “Stress on the brain can have a cumulative traumatic effect, leading to depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, and addiction.”
So, what’s a not-so-happy holiday seeker to do? ”You can’t control what happens in the world,” says Taylor, who is also a self-care strategist, “but you can control the flow and quality of information you’re getting.”
Start by getting a jump on next year’s shopping, which will make your shopping far less stressful and way more satisfying. But before you load up the shopping cart for others, Taylor suggests that you take a page from the personal finance gamebook and give to yourself first. Here are her favorite gifts for the soul:
Put down your smartphone and think about how you really feel. You can’t get what you need if you don’t know what you need.
Seek more face time, then smile. “Our parents had more clubs and Sunday dinners where you could sit around the table together and unpack stuff, or get face-to-face comfort,” says Taylor. “Even if you look into the faces of strangers as you walk down the street and smile, you’d be amazed at the positive responses, and the positive feelings you get from them.”
Know when you’ve had enough and tune out, without feeling any guilt or shame. “Not knowing about another murder is not ignorance,” says Taylor.
Treat yourself—with care. Go ahead and indulge, but in moderation. Have the ice cream sundae, not the whole gallon; get a massage, but don’t max out your credit card on a spa trip you can’t afford. There can be a fine line between self-soothing and self-medicating. Do what’s going to make you feel genuinely good in the moment, and the day after, and the week after that.
“Be the change” can feel like a tall order, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be as simple as responding to a mean comment with a kind one, or to a selfish act with a generous one. If you want to change the conversation, just do it. Refuse to tear others down or share useless negative information. Or counter all the negativity you can’t control around you by making a positive change in yourself. Eating healthier, retooling your résumé, cleaning your junk drawer, and even making your bed can give you a sense of control and accomplishment when you feel overwhelmed.
“We are accepting that the world is uncertain and unpredictable,” says Taylor, “but our bodies aren’t built to be always on edge, and we don’t have to accept that constant stressfulness and anxiety.” Especially when comfort and joy are available for free.
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