The upcoming Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” has cast actors Jay Duplass and Timothy Omundson in guest star roles as gods.
The Casting
Jay Duplass will play Hades, the god of the Underworld. According to the official character description, “Hades feels like an outcast from his family and a misunderstood genius. He holds a grudge for past wrongs and plays his cards close to the chest.”
Of the casting, book and series creator author Rick Riordan said, “He captures the misunderstood, dangerous, gloomy side of the god the Underworld, but also his strangely sweet and quirky demeanor, making him the perfect guy to manifest Nico di Angelo’s dad. His back-and-forth with Percy Jackson was absolutely pitch-perfect.”
Duplass currently appears in the HBO series “Industry,” which was renewed for a third season last month. He and his brother Mark are also celebrated film and television writers and directors,
Timothy Omundson will play Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths. His official character description says, “Hephaestus became disabled when he was thrown off Mount Olympus as a babe. Despite that, his strength is legendary, and his capacity for kindness and mercy sets him apart from his brothers and sisters in the dog-eat-dog world of the gods.”
Of Omundson, Riordan said, “When I got to meet him on set, it was all I could do to play it cool, since the Riordans have been fans of his since his long-running brilliant comedic role as Carlton Lassiter on ‘Psych,’ one of our all-time favorite shows.”
Riordan continued, “He brings the perfect sensibility to the god Hephaestus, strongest and most resilient of the gods, sometimes spurned for his differences, but still kindhearted in his own gruff way. This is another role we’ve brought forward in the series, so you get to meet Hephaestus a little earlier than you would in the books, and when you see him in character, you’ll understand why. He is perfect.”
Omundson is best known for his roles in the TV series “Psych,” “Supernatural,” and “Galavant.” Despite suffering a stroke in 2017, he has continued to appear in guest roles in shows like “This Is Us,” and “New Amsterdam.”
The two actors join series leads Walker Scobell as Percy as well as Aryan Simhadri as Grover and Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth.
Others cast in recurring or guest roles include Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman, Jason Mantzoukas, Megan Mullally, Timm Sharp, Dior Goodjohn, Olivea Morton, and Charlie Bushnell, along with recent additions like Adam Copeland, Suzanne Cryer, Jessica Parker Kennedy, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The Series
Based on the Rick Riordan book series of the same name, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” follows the titular 12-year old demi-god (Scobell) who is just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt.
With help from his friends Grover (Simhadri) and Annabeth (Jeffries), Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.
The Disney Branded Television series is currently in production in Vancouver. Riordan and Jon Steinberg are writing the pilot with James Bobin directing.
It is set to air on Disney+ sometime in 2024. Riordan will also have a new book in the series debut in 2023.
What do you think of this new casting announcement for the “Percy Jackson” series? Let us know in the comments. I personally love that they’ve cast Omundson. I’ve been a fan of his work since “Psych” and can’t wait to see what he does with the role.