{{Short description|American actress (born 2009)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Leah Sava Jeffries | image = Leah Sava Jeffries by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg | caption = Jeffries in 2025 | birth_name = Leah Sava Jeffries | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2009|9|25}} | birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | occupation = Actress and model | years_active = 2014–present }}
'''Leah Sava Jeffries''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ə|.|'|v|eɪ|}}; born September 25, 2009)<ref>{{cite web |date=18 October 2023 |title=Which 'Percy Jackson' Star is 'Most Likely To' be a real Demigod? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYqHRZn-0eU&t=9 |access-date=3 January 2024 |website=Variety |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=25 September 2023 |title=Percy Jackson Fans Celebrate Annabeth Chase Actress Leah Jeffries's Birthday |url=https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/percy-jackson-celebrate-annabeth-chase-leah-jeffries-birthday/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en}}</ref> is an American actress.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Hinds |first=Julie |date=May 13, 2022 |title=Metro Detroit tween lands role on Disney+ series, faces racist backlash on social media |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/television/2022/05/13/percy-jackson-leah-sava-jeffries-disney/9750920002/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Christen A. |date=2022-05-11 |title='Percy Jackson' Author Calls Out Racism Directed at 12-Year-Old Leah Sava Jeffries |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a39967331/percy-jackson-condemns-racism-casting-leah-sava-jeffries/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Cosmopolitan |language=en-US}}</ref> Jeffries made her acting debut on the American musical drama, ''Empire'' (2015) and later her feature film debut in the action-thriller ''Beast'' (2022). In 2022, Jeffries was cast as Annabeth Chase in the television adaptation of Rick Riordan's fantasy novel series, ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians,'' which earned her three NAACP Image Awards, along with a nomination for the Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Performer.
==Early life== Jeffries was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Leah Jeffries and Floyd S. Jeffries Jr.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Lobo |first=Natalia |date=2022-05-10 |title=Leah Sava Jeffries' profile: Meet the 'Percy Jackson' actress |url=https://bolavip.com/en/offside/leah-sava-jeffries-profile-age-parents-and-acting-career-of-the-percy-jackson-actress-20220510-0017.html |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Bolavip US |language=en |archive-date=October 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231009104209/https://bolavip.com/en/offside/leah-sava-jeffries-profile-age-parents-and-acting-career-of-the-percy-jackson-actress-20220510-0017.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Hinds |first=Julie |date=April 2, 2015 |title=Metro Detroit girl makes big 'Empire' impression |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/television/2015/04/02/empire-leah-jeffries/70842302/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> She has an older brother, Floyd Jeffries, who is also an actor and model.<ref name=":7" /> She attended school in the Novi Community School District.<ref name=":0" />
==Career== Prior to her acting debut, Jeffries worked as a model for children's products for Carol's Daughter.<ref name=":7" /> Jeffries' acting debut was at age 5 as Lola Lyon on ''Empire''.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Luckoff |first=Kaitlyn |date=August 13, 2022 |title=Child actress returns home to Metro Detroit to host 'Beast' movie screening |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/08/13/child-actress-leah-jeffries-returns-home-metro-detroit-host-beast-movie-screening/10287443002/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}}</ref>
On May 5, 2022, Jeffries was announced as Annabeth Chase in ''Percy Jackson and the Olympians''. Immediately following the casting announcement, Jeffries received harassment online because she was African-American, while her character, Annabeth Chase, was portrayed as white in the book series the show was based on.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Blair |first=Elizabeth |date=May 10, 2022 |title=Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan rips complaints about casting the TV series |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/05/10/1097976491/percy-jackson-rick-riordan-annabeth-chase |access-date=September 28, 2023 |work=NPR}}</ref> On May 10, the books' author, Rick Riordan, posted a blog post in which he condemned the backlash against Jeffries and reaffirmed his support of her.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":8" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Mary Pat |date=May 12, 2022 |title=Leah Jeffries gets support after backlash to her casting in 'Percy Jackson' Disney+ series |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/leah-jeffries-support-backlash-casting-percy-jackson-disney/story?id=84668500 |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> Alexandra Daddario, the actress who played Annabeth in the two movie adaptations, also posted support for Jeffries online.<ref name=":5" /> Members of the fanbase who supported Jeffries' casting posted support online with the hashtag #LeahIsOurAnnabeth.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Baker-Whitelaw |first=Gavia |date=2022-05-11 |title='They literally took down my whole account': Black child actress Leah Sava Jeffries' TikTok deactivated amid racist harassment campaign over 'Percy Jackson' casting |url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/racist-percy-jackson-fans-leah-sava-jeffries-annabeth/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}</ref>
In August 2022, the film ''Beast'' was released, in which Jeffries played Norah Samuels.<ref name=":3" /> Later that year, ''Something from Tiffany's'', in which Jeffries played Daisy Greene, was released.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monson |first=Leigh |date=2022-12-08 |title=Something From Tiffany's review: a flawed but charming bauble of a rom-com |url=https://www.avclub.com/something-from-tiffanys-movie-review-zoey-deutch-1849856799 |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=The A.V. Club |language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! Year ! Project ! Role ! Notes ! Ref. |- | 2018 | ''Faith Under Fire'' | Fiona | TV Movie | |- | 2019 | ''PawParazzi'' | Monique | | |- | 2022 | ''Beast'' | Norah Samuels | |<ref name=":3" /> |- | 2022 | ''Something from Tiffany's'' | Daisy Greene | |<ref name=":4" /> |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! Year ! Project ! Role ! Notes ! Ref. |- | 2015–2016 | ''Empire'' | Lola Lyon | Recurring role; 6 episodes | <ref name=":7" /> |- | 2018–2019 | ''Rel'' | Brandi | 11 episodes | <ref name=":3" /> |- | 2023–present | ''Percy Jackson and the Olympians'' | Annabeth Chase | Main Role | <ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2022-05-05 |title='Percy Jackson' Disney+ Series Casts Aryan Simhadri as Grover, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/percy-jackson-disney-plus-series-cast-aryan-simhadri-grover-leah-sava-jeffries-annabeth-1235259060/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Award ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Work ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |- | align="center" rowspan="3"| 2024 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-series) | rowspan="6"| ''Percy Jackson and the Olympians'' | {{won}} | align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/awards/awards/naacp-image-awards-winners-list-2024-1235938776/|title=NAACP Image Awards Winners List: 'The Color Purple' Picks Up Two More Wins as Virtual Ceremonies Conclude|last=Jackson|first=Angelique|work=Variety|date=March 13, 2024|access-date=March 13, 2024}}</ref> |- | Séries em Cena Awards | Best Actress in an International Series | {{nominated}} | align="center"| <ref>{{Cite tweet|user=secawards|author=Séries em Cena Awards|number=1783208430007955739|title=Conheça as indicadas da categoria "Melhor Atriz em Série Internacional" no #SECAwards 2024.|date=April 24, 2024|access-date=May 1, 2024}}</ref> |- | BET Awards | BET YoungStars Award | {{nominated}} | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|last=Fekadu|first=Mesfin|title=Drake, Kendrick Lamar to Compete at BET Awards; Nicki Minaj, SZA, J. Cole Earn Multiple Nominations |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/bet-awards-2024-nominations-list-drake-kendrick-lamar-1235901139/ |access-date=May 16, 2024|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 16, 2024}}</ref> |- | align="center" rowspan="2"| 2025 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series) | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2025/awards/news/naacp-image-awards-nominees-ayo-edebiri-keke-palmer-glorilla-the-piano-lesson-fight-night-1236267864/|title=NAACP Image Awards: Ayo Edebiri, Keke Palmer, GloRilla, 'The Piano Lesson' and 'Fight Night' Lead Nominations|last=Jackson|first=Angelique|work=Variety|date=January 7, 2025|access-date=January 24, 2025}}</ref> |- | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Younger Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/childrens-family-emmys-2023-nominations-full-list-2-1236246611/|title=Children's & Family Emmys 2024 Nominations: 'Percy Jackson,' 'Sesame Street,' 'Spiderwick Chronicles' Lead; Ceremony Moves to March|website=Variety|first=Michael|last=Schneider|date=December 12, 2024|access-date=January 24, 2025}}</ref> |- | align="center" rowspan="1"| 2026 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series) | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2026-naacp-image-awards-creative-honors-winners-list-1236517076/|title=NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors: ‘Sinners,’ ‘Abbott Elementary’ Top Winners|last=Lewis|first=Hilary|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 26, 2026|access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref> |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{imdb name|7122558}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-series)}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jeffries, Leah}} Category:2009 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American actresses Category:Actresses from Detroit Category:Victims of cyberbullying Category:African-American child actresses Category:21st-century African-American actresses Category:American child actresses Category:American child models Category:American film actresses Category:American television actresses