Speaking exclusively with The Direct's Gillian Blum, Percy Jackson and the Olympians star Walker Scobell shared how Percy telling Annabeth, "It only took me two days to see how special you were," did not have any romantic intention behind it, even though it could be read that way. He explained, though, that the line does not necessarily need to be romantic in order to still have meaning, especially as Percy and Annabeth's early friendship continues to develop.
One of the first pieces of information about Season 2 released was a line in the official synopsis that said, "[Percy's] friendship with Annabeth is changing," and Scobell is sticking to that as this critical bond between the characters is formed over the course of multiple seasons.
As such, he was surprised to find that many fans were interpreting certain moments as intentionally romantic, whereas that is not quite where the characters are at this point. Nonetheless, their changing friendship is key, and that is not something Scobell is treating lightly.
Scobell plays Percy Jackson opposite Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, and the characters' individual and shared arcs span all three confirmed seasons the show has so far, as well as throughout the various Percy Jackson novels by Rick Riordan in which they appear. Currently, episodes of Season 2 are being released weekly on Disney+.
Walker Scobell Discusses How Episode 4's Percabeth Line Is Just as Meaningful Without Romantic Intention
Speaking with The Direct, Walker Scobell explained that fan response to moments like the, "It only took me two days" line in Episode 4 "is one of the times where [he's] been like, 'Guys, what are we doing?'"
He shared that in playing Percy Jackson, he has "had to learn a lot about the way that people's... minds work" and that he "never would have thought" there could be romantic intention—purposeful on Percy's part or otherwise—behind the line:
- The Direct: You have recently been on record saying that you think some fans have been reaching when it comes to Percabeth stuff, knowing full well that Episode 4 contains the entire scene of Percy and Annabeth talking on the boat, and Percy saying the line "It took me only two days to see how special you are." Explain yourself.
Walker Scobell: "All right. OK. This is not my fault. This is not my fault. This is one of the times where I've been like, 'Guys, what are we doing?' It's difficult, too, because I feel like... I don't know. I've had to learn a lot about the way that people's, I guess, minds work from this job. So I guess it's like... I don't know. I never would have thought."
Scobell explained that he does not "think that that's something that [Percy] wouldn't say to Grover... [or] Tyson." He acknowledges that "he's saying it to Annabeth, which is something," but that, to Percy, saying that Annabeth is special is nothing more than the truth.
He added that he believes "she would say the same thing to Percy," and that "maybe she takes it that way." But still, "in Percy's mind," it was simply that he "immediately figured out that, you know, she's very special:"
"I don't think that that's something that he wouldn't say to Grover, you know, I don't think that's something he wouldn't say to Tyson. I mean, I feel like this is kind of like an overall... I mean, he's saying it to Annabeth, which is something, but at the same time, it's like, she is special. Like, that is her. And I think, you know, I think she would say the same thing to Percy... Maybe she takes it that way, but I don't think, you know... In Percy's mind, it did take him only two days to see how special she was. Like, it just, immediately he kind of figured out that, you know, she's very special."
Scobell clarified that in Percy calling Annabeth "special," it was not intended to mean "it only took me two days to see how, like, amazing you were." By special, Percy is referring to how "complex" Annabeth is.
He explained that "normally it takes Percy a lot longer to figure people out like that," but that he and Annabeth "just kind of clicked right away." Scobell clarified that "it takes him a lot longer to figure out her than anybody else."
In calling her special, Scobell explained, Percy is saying "it only took me two days to see that I'm never going to be able to understand you:"
"I don't think he meant that in the way that he was like, 'Oh, like, it only took me two days to see how, like, amazing you were.' I think, you know, she's such a complex character. And I think... normally it takes Percy a lot longer to figure people out like that. But I think they just kind of clicked right away, a couple days into meeting each other. So, it took him a lot longer—It takes him a lot longer to figure out her than anybody else. And I think that's why he's saying that.
I think it's less of a, 'It only took me two days to see how amazing you were.' I think it's more of a, 'It only took me two days to see that I'm never going to be able to understand you.'"
Walker Scobell Gives a Sneak Peek at Episode 5 with a Story About Filming with a Parrot
While Episode 5 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians has some crucial moments in the larger narrative of Percy and Annabeth's evolving relationship, it also features several animals.
Aside from the long-anticipated guinea pigs from the books, several animals inhabit C.C.'s Island Resort and Spa—one of which is a parrot, who caused some trouble on set, which Walker Scobell explained (without any spoilers for Episode 5, which releases next week).
- The Direct: On Threads, Becky Riordan [executive producer, and wife of Percy Jackson book author/executive producer, Rick Riordan] suggested to press interviewing you guys to ask you about filming with the parrot. Can you explain?
Walker Scobell: "Thank you, Becky. The parrot in C.C.'s spa... Episode 5 came together amazing, I'm really excited for people to see that... They brought in this one parrot who was super nice, but in the middle of every scene would scream, like, it would, like, shatter your eardrums. They started offering everyone earplugs, because it was just random and it was so loud, and it, like, really hurt.
Especially when you're in the middle of a scene and, like, it's really intense, and then, you know, you're really in the zone, and then all of a sudden this parrot just, like, screams and shatters your eardrums. Especially because the room... It's [a] very acoustic room... I don't know if they meant to do this, but, like, it traps sound perfectly. So, they would scream, it was just coming off of every wall, every direction.
I did get to hold it, which was terrifying, but, I don't know, Leah [Sava Jeffries] was much more into holding all the animals than I was. I held the parrot, I did it. I'm happy I did it. But I was terrified."
The full interview can be viewed below:
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
