The “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series at Disney+ has added three new actors to its cast, PvNew has learned exclusively.
Adam Copeland, Suzanne Cryer, and Jessica Parker Kennedy are the latest additions to the cast of the series based on Rick Riordan Percy Jackson novels. The trio join previously announced series lead Walker Scobell and series regulars Aryan Simhadri and Leah Sava Jeffries.
Copeland will appear in a recurring guest star role as Ares, the god of War. Ares is described as “handsome in a wicked way and arrogant, despite not always being the sharpest tool in the shed. He loves conflict and acts as an agent of chaos wherever he goes.”
Copeland is best known as Edge, a WWE Hall of Famer who returned to the ring in January 2020 after a nine-year hiatus due to medical issues. He is also an accomplished actor, having appeared in shows like “Vikings,” “Haven,” and “The Flash” as well as films like “Money Plane” and “Interrogation.”
He is repped by OAZ and A3 Artists Agency.
Cryer will guest star as Echidna, The Mother of Monsters. The character is said to be “dangerous, intimidating, and strangely maternal. She enjoys her task of challenging heroes and will test Percy’s faith in the gods.”
Cryer previously starred in the HBO comedy series “Silicon Valley” as well as the ABC sitcom “Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place.” She has also held roles on shows like “The Fosters,” “All Rise,” and “Shameless.” She is currently a series regular on the upcoming AMC series “Straight Man” starring Bob Odenkirk.
She is repped by A3 Artists Agency and Essential Talent Management.
Kennedy will guest star as Medusa, the infamous gorgon. Per her official character description, Medusa is “wronged by the gods and bitter. Medusa lives in isolation until travelers stumble on her emporium. She is welcoming to some and a threat to others.”
Kennedy is known for playing Nora West-Allen in “The Flash” as well as for playing Max in the Starz pirate epic “Black Sails.” Her other recent TV roles include “The Old Man” at FX and “colony” at USA Network. Her film credits include “Gemini,” “The Perfect Guy,” and “50/50.”
She is repped by Gersh, Luber Roklin Entertainment, and Goodman Genow.
Per the official series logline, “‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson (Scobell), who’s 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 guest star cast also includes Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman, Jason Mantzoukas, Megan Mullally, and Timm Sharp, as well as Dior Goodjohn, Charlie Bushnell, and Olivea Morton.
The Disney Branded Television show is currently in production in Vancouver. Disney revealed a first look at the series at D23 in September.
Riordan and Jon Steinberg are writing the pilot with James Bobin directing. Steinberg and his producing partner Dan Shotz are overseeing the series and serve as executive producers alongside Bobin, Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson, and Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. Goldberg. 20th Television is the studio. Salke was formerly the president of Touchstone Television and originally put the show into development.
