Walker Scobell shares why playing Percy Jackson still feels daunting

Becoming Percy Jackson is a huge responsibility, and Walker Scobell knows it.

The 17-year-old actor stars as the famous demigod in Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on Rick Riordan’s bestselling book series. 

Season 1 premiered in December 2023, when Scobell was just 14. The show returned for season 2 last month, and season 3 is already in production.

Despite gaining experience, Scobell admits the role still feels overwhelming.

“I think it's definitely still daunting. You really want to do it right,” he told People magazine. “It's a big responsibility.”

Scobell was only 13 when he landed the role, but says having Riordan closely involved helps ease the pressure.

“That's why I love having Rick on board as a writer and a producer of the show, because it's so nice to know that, anything that happens, anything that changes, this is him. This is still Percy Jackson,” he said. 

“It calms me down a lot to think about that.”

The role came shortly after Scobell made his film debut in The Adam Project, where he played a young Ryan Reynolds. He calls joining the Percy Jackson universe “an amazing opportunity.”

“I was a huge fan of the books before, and you don't get the opportunity very often to be a part of one of these amazing worlds like this,” he said. 

“Being able to be a part of one of these universes is just insane to think about.”

Scobell has also connected with Logan Lerman, who played Percy in earlier film adaptations. The two now “talk and text from time to time,” Lerman previously shared.

New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiere Wednesdays on Disney+.