• The position of Chris Rodriguez, the son of Hermes, was recast with Kevin Chacon for season 2.
• Andrew Alvarez, who performed the demigod initially in season 1, stays within the forged.
• Chris turns into extra of a pivotal character within the story starting in writer Rick Riordan's e-book Sea of Monsters, upon which season 2 is predicated.

The Greek gods change their look on a regular basis on the planet of Percy Jackson. However for the primary time, one in every of their demigod kids has modified identities.

The position of Chris Rodriguez has been formally recast for the second season of the Disney+ adaptation sequence, with Kevin Chacon (Jessica Jones) now taking part in the demigod son of Hermes (Lin-Manuel Miranda). The character was initially credited to actor Andrew Alvarez (Faculty Spirits) in season 1.

Nevertheless, the Percy Jackson artistic group tells Leisure Weekly that Alvarez continues to be a part of the forged underneath a unique, unnamed position at Camp Half-Blood, whereas Chacon's character needs to be thought of to have at all times been hanging across the camp within the background, unseen, in all earlier episodes.

"I don't bear in mind what we referred to as him, however sure, he's nonetheless within the present," co-creator Jonathan E. Steinberg tells EW of unique actor Alvarez. "He was solely actually named Chris within the credit [in season 1], nevertheless it was nearly an Easter egg for the followers. It wasn't one thing that we had actually kind of made substantive. We needed to simply do a slight course-correct there whereas nonetheless preserving as a lot continuity from the primary season as we might."

As followers of writer Rick Riordan's Greek mythology books know, Chris turns into extra of a pivotal character within the story starting in Sea of Monsters (upon which season 2 is predicated), as Luke (Charlie Bushnell) grows his demigod revolt in opposition to the gods. That required the producers to think about extra significantly who ought to tackle the position, regardless of having technically credited Alvarez with the character in season 1.

"Chris' position was increasing, but additionally there was nothing in season 1 — I believe it was perhaps talked about in a credit score however no one outright mentioned 'that's Chris Rodriguez' within the present," government producer Craig Silverstein explains. "And we're additionally in a position to take the character that Andrew performed and carry that character ahead as nicely. So I take a look at it as not a recasting, as a result of the character that Andrew performed that you simply met in season 1 continues, and Chris Rodriguez was at all times there as Kevin."

Riordan agrees that whereas Alvarez was named Chris within the credit, "it was not likely ever apparent who that character was."

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"However once we had been what are we going to do in season 2 the place the character comes a bit of extra into the forefront, that's the casting that made sense on the time for that half," the writer provides. "A lot of it’s who's one of the best for the half, who's accessible for the half, what is sensible with the timing? So that is actually the primary time that you simply see Chris Rodriguez as a full character, so it wasn't actually a lot of a recasting factor. It was simply discovering the best way to make that half work with the correct one that was accessible."

Steinberg admits they weren't "actually totally pondering" about the place Chris' storyline would go in future seasons — particularly his arc with Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn) — once they determined to call Alvarez's background character.

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"This will probably be enjoyable for individuals who know the books to see the place these characters are once we meet them," the co-creator provides. "And as you get deeper into the story, you begin to understand there are belongings you wish to try this a few of these selections have made sophisticated. Wanting to start out a Clarisse story with Chris a bit of bit contemporary and never have it really feel like Chris was so tied to Luke in the best way that season 1 would have, it required us to separate these two concepts a bit of bit and provides one in every of them a contemporary begin."

For extra on Percy Jackson season 2, try EW's full cowl story. The sequence releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

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