Lin-Manuel Miranda has finally made his debut as Hermes in the Percy Jackson Disney+ show! Since his casting, fans of the beloved franchise have been skeptical over the Hamilton creator’s ability to play the messenger god and Luke Castellan’s father. Keep reading for details on his role, what the show’s producers have said and more.
On Casting Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes
Following Lin’s surprise debut as Hermes in Percy Jackson‘s third episode, showrunner Jon Steinberg and executive producer Dan Shotz shared their thoughts on casting the playwright as Hermes during an interview with The Messenger.
“That character was supposed to be fun in all of the ways that when you start thinking about Lin inhabiting it, of course he’s brilliant,” Jon told the outlet. “[Lin] is a step ahead of every moment, every punchline, in every turn in a scene. You just really want it to feel like there was somebody in that role who was fun.”
Along with getting the “fun” aspect of Hermes down, another important trait for the Greek god was Lin’s presence.
“He had that presence. That guy walks in a room, and you just stand at attention with everything he says,” Dan revealed. “His kids are big fans of the books, and his connection to the material was great. He loved it and wanted to be a part of it.”
Hermes is the second major Greek god to appear in Percy Jackson so far, with Jason Mantzoukas‘ making his debut as reluctant camp director and wine god Dionysus at Camp Half-Blood in episode two.
The messenger god briefly appears in the last scene from episode three, where he is seen delivering a package containing Medusa’s (Jessica Parker Kennedy) head — shipped to the gods by Percy (Walker Scobell). Right before the episode ends, Lin delivers the line: “You guys aren’t going to believe this.”
If you’ve read the Percy Jackson books, then you know how big of a role Hermes plays in the following episodes (and hopefully, seasons!) to come — as one of the 12 main Olympians and as the father of Luke Castellan (played by Charlie Bushnell).
Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.
