Walker Scobell Addresses Death Threats to Teenage Girls Over Prom Attendance
Actor Walker Scobell announced on Instagram that he will not attend prom and urged fans to stop sending death threats to teenage girls associated with him. The 17-year-old star of Disney+ series 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' highlighted the unfairness to those girls and their families. Scobell also referenced prior fan encounters faced by castmates.
Mark Hillary from Serra Negra, São Paulo, Brazil / Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0)Walker Scobell Announces No Prom Attendance Amid Fan Harassment Walker Scobell announced on Instagram Story that he will not be attending prom.
The 17-year-old actor stated, "Please stop sending death threats to EVERY teenage girl who could remotely be associated with me based on their proximity to where I live. " Scobell added, "Maybe also just stop sending death threats in general. That's just not cool.
" Scobell plays the titular demigod in the Disney+ series 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians'. He was 13 years old when he was cast in the show. Earlier this year, Scobell told People magazine that it felt "a little bit weird" to go back to school after the first season of the series had been released.
School Life Challenges for Scobell Scobell has been going to the same school since the fourth grade.
He stated to People, "Because I feel like I know everybody so well, and I've known them for such a long time that ... " The decision not to attend prom follows these experiences of returning to school amid rising fame. Scobell's statements address direct harassment linked to his personal life and location.
Castmates Face Similar Fan Issues Aryan Simhadri portrays Grover Underwood in the series.
Last year, Simhadri spoke out about an encounter with a handsy fan, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. A group of 40 drunk college girls recognized Simhadri during the incident. " He added, "And then she reached around and put her hand inside of my back pocket, with my hand already in there.
There's not enough room in the back pocket of jeans for more than one hand. She lingered there a little longer than I would have liked.
Leah Jeffries and Broader Backlash Leah Jeffries plays Annabeth Chase in the series.
Jeffries was the target of racist backlash when her casting was announced in 2022. " These incidents illustrate ongoing challenges for the young cast of 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians'. Scobell's recent announcement ties into a pattern of fan behavior affecting the actors' personal safety and school experiences.
Story Timeline
5 events- 2026-04-13
Walker Scobell announces on Instagram Story that he will not attend prom and addresses death threats to teenage girls.
1 sourceWalker Scobell - 2026 (earlier this year)
Walker Scobell tells People magazine about feeling weird returning to school after the first season release.
1 sourceWalker Scobell via People - 2025
Aryan Simhadri speaks out about encounter with handsy fan involving 40 drunk college girls.
1 sourceAryan Simhadri via Entertainment Weekly - 2022
Leah Jeffries faces racist backlash upon casting announcement; Rick Riordan posts blog statement against online harassment.
2 sourcesLos Angeles Times · Rick Riordan - 2022 (casting)
Walker Scobell, aged 13, is cast in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians'.
1 sourceLos Angeles Times
Potential Impact
- 01
Young cast members may limit public personal details to avoid similar threats, affecting school and social life.
- 02
Broader discussions on celebrity privacy for minors, influencing fan behavior in entertainment communities.
- 03
Increased awareness of fan harassment toward young actors, potentially leading to stronger platform moderation on social media.
- 04
Disney+ and production teams could implement enhanced security or guidelines for cast interactions with fans.
- 05
Potential support from advocacy groups for anti-harassment measures in child acting.
Transparency Panel
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