The Actress Portraying Echidna in the Percy Jackson Series

Episode 4 of Percy Jackson introduces a new enemy, Echidna, for the demigod to confront. But who is she, and who portrays her?

Percy Jackson & The Olympians is now available on Disney+ and has been well-received by fans. The series, adapted from Rick Riordan's popular book series, follows a young demigod on a quest to save the world and his mother.

With Riordan's increased involvement, the series has stayed more true to the books compared to the notorious movies. An example of this is the inclusion of Echidna in Episode 4, a character who never appeared in the films. However, with Echidna now a part of the show, the question arises: who portrays her and what is her character like?

Who plays Echidna in Percy Jackson & the Olympians?

Echidna, the Greek mother of monsters, is played by actor Suzanne Cryer. Cryer is known for her roles in Two Guys and a Girl, Silicon Valley, and The Cloverfield franchise.

Official Season 1 synopsis: 12-year-old modern demigod Percy Jackson is grappling with his newfound divine abilities when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. With the help of his friends, Percy must restore order to Olympus. The accusations against Percy come with a dangerous price, as seen in our Episode 4 review where our leads are once again pursued by monsters, with the creature of the week being one of the best. Additionally, actress Suzanne Cryer joyfully hams up her evil role as a Chimera's mother, accompanied by some impressive CGI for the beast itself.

Check Echidna out in the Percy Jackson trailer below, along with her pet chihuahua-turned-chimera:

You can also check out which actors play which characters in our Percy Jackson cast guide.

Who is Echidna?

Echidna, known as the mother of monsters, has been given the mission by Zeus to track down Percy Jackson. In her relentless pursuit to eliminate the boy, she displays a terrifying combination of motherly love for her pet chimera and unwavering thirst for the demise of demigods.

The battle with Echidna is still pending, and Episode 4 concludes with a cliffhanger (or cliff-fall, for Percy). Before proceeding, we want to give a heads up: we'll be talking about Echidna from the books, so beware of spoilers! In Greek mythology, Echidna is the daughter of Gaea and Tartarus, and she is married to Typhon. Following a defeat by Zeus, the God allowed Echidna and her offspring to survive as a test for future heroes.

Echidna is depicted as a regular woman in the book, except for her forked tongue and snake-like eyes, which hint at her monstrous nature. In her true form, she has a human head but the rest of her transforms into a terrifying snake, posing a formidable challenge for Percy to conquer.

Explore more of our Percy Jackson content, find out how and when to watch it, and browse through the rest of our Movies & TV coverage.

Editor's P/S

As a hard fan of the Percy Jackson series, I am thrilled to see that the show is staying true to the books and including characters that were not featured in the movies. Echidna is a fascinating and complex character, and I am excited to see how she is portrayed in the series. Suzanne Cryer seems like a great choice for the role, and I can't wait to see her bring Echidna to life.

I am also intrigued by the way that Echidna's character is being developed in the show. In the books, she is a terrifying monster who is一心一意on destroying Percy Jackson. However, in the show, she is also shown to have a softer side, as she displays motherly love for her pet chimera. This added depth to her character makes her even more interesting and complex, and I am eager to see how her story unfolds.