8 Biggest Differences Between Walker Scobell & Logan Lerman’s Percy Jacksons

Introduction

Percy Jackson & the Olympians is giving Rick Riordan's books a second chance at life on-screen, and the Disney+ series is already proving a much different adaptation than the movies; even Walker Scobell's Percy offers a distinct version of the character compared to Logan Lerman's. Lerman brought the titular hero to life in 2010's Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and its 2013 sequel, The Sea of Monsters. The Percy Jackson movies got many things wrong about the source material, leading them to be critically panned and devoid of further sequels. Disney's television adaptation is already more faithful than the films, and the changes it makes generally benefit Riordan's story — though there are a few questionable ones here and there. The contrasting approaches result in two very different takes on Percy Jackson's character. Although Lerman and Scobell both get key features of the hero right, from his sarcastic sense of humor to his courage, their portrayals diverge significantly in many places.

Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, with wet hair, is looking up in Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

The Percy Jackson show and movies are both streaming on Disney+.

Logan Lerman in Percy Jackson movies

Walker Scobell's Percy Is The Right Age

Logan Lerman's Version Of The Character Was Aged Up. The Percy Jackson movies aged up their characters from Riordan's books, so Lerman's take on the young demigod is a bit older than Scobell's. While Percy is meant to be 12 years old in The Lightning Thief, Lerman's character starts the story at 16. This is a noticeable change for fans, as Riordan's story is about growing up. In fact, it's one of the many criticisms the film adaptations received. Fortunately, the Disney+ show fixes this error by having Scobell, who is 14 years old, play a 12-year-old Percy. It was important to Riordan that the show cast actual kids, and it delivers an accurate telling on that front.

Walker Scobell as Percy Looking Shocked in Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1

Logan Lerman Looks More Like Book Percy

Riordan's Character Has Darker Hair Than Scobell. Leman's Percy obviously looks older than his book counterpart, but he has one physical attribute in common with the character that Scobell doesn't. In Riordan's books, Percy is described as having dark, messy hair. While Scobell's hair certainly meets the messy requirement, his locks are much lighter than Lerman's, which are more in line with Percy's book description. Of course, finding an actor who shares all of Percy's on-page attributes isn't as important as locating one with talent. Still, Lerman does look a bit more like book Percy than Scobell.

Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson looking up at a statue of Perseus in Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Walker Scobell's Percy Has A Less Troubling Home Life

Gabe Ugliano Is Less Horrible In The Disney+ Show. The Percy Jackson movies stay true to Riordan's books by including Percy's abusive home life, even showing Gabe Ugliano physically threatening Percy at the beginning of The Lightning Thief. Riordan's books don't give this storyline as much attention as it requires, and the movies do an even less impressive job portraying Sally Jackson and her boyfriend. Fortunately, Percy Jackson & the Olympians removes this problematic storyline and makes Gabe slightly less terrible. Percy also seems closer to his mother, resulting in a less angry lead than Lerman's, who's rightfully mad at the world when The Lightning Thief opens.

Young Percy Jackson standing next to Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson in the Percy Jackson Disney+ TV show

Logan Lerman's Percy Is Confirmed To Have ADHD & Dyslexia

The Disney Show Only Hints At This In Its Early Episodes. The Percy Jackson books describe demigods like Percy as having ADHD and dyslexia because of their heightened instincts and aptitude for reading Ancient Greek. The movies confirm that Lerman's character has dyslexia and ADHD early in The Lightning Thief, when he complains to his mother that he's still struggling in school. While the Disney+ show alludes to Scobell's lead having such diagnoses, depicting numbers and letters moving around on the page and highlighting his trouble in school, it doesn't discuss them outright. It's also never explained why Half-Bloods' minds work differently, whereas Grover gives Percy a thorough rundown of all this in the movies.

Logal Lerman Percy ADHD