Leah Sava Jefferies as Annabeth Chase is so important to representation in the media, not just because black women are undermined for their intelligence simply for being black, but also because how often have you seen neurodivergence represented in a young black girl? most depictions of ADHD in media are usually of white boys. even girls with ADHD is so rare. and here we have Annabeth, the smartest girl in camp, always six steps ahead of everyone else, who also happens to have ADHD and dyslexia. i will never shut up about how important Leah is to this show
The absolute biggest thing I've learned as a trans guy: there is nothing more masculine and manly than not caring about looking or acting masculine or manly. Growing your masculinity or manhood takes time and care - you have no obligation to let the world water your garden when you can do that just fine (and you can, even if it doesn't feel like you can!)
And before anyone says it Ariel's story is not inherently tied to race/ethnicity. Anyone can play her. But Nani and Lilo's ethnicity and even skin complexion is tied to the story as the big theme of their story is how indigenous hawaiians are mistreated on their homeland, how they are othered bc they look or act a certain way (which make the parallels to stitch all the more poignant).
Everytime i see walker scobell or leah sava jeffries or aryan simhadri say something along the lines of „playing this character is a great responsibility and i don‘t wanna let the fans down“ i wanna make them understand that it‘s not their responsibility or at least not only theirs to carry - this show is carried by producers, directors, writers, editors, casting directors, special effect departments, and sooo many other adult people that made decisions about how this show will be. If there were any reason why fans should not like this show (and as things are looking right now, i highly suspect that most will absolutely love it), then that critique should go to these adult people who have made these decisions, not the actors who took on that role.
I finally got to finish the Burrow's End ep and 1) hell yeah Tula, ho it up, 2) the whole Red Warren family is truly coming into this place with a some insane energy right off the bat, love that for them, and 3) I don't trust these goddamn bipedal stoats and their stoat propaganda a goddamn inch.