Studio Cut

Alexandra Daddario joins Logan Lerman in an all-out looming war between the god of the sea, sky and hell in “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.”   Percy (Lerman), an ordinary teenager and a demigod travels to a special enclave called Camp Half Blood, where he trains to harness his newly discovered powers and prevent a devastating war among the gods. There, Percy meets two fellow demigods – the warrior Annabeth, who is searching for her mother, the goddess Athena and his longtime friend Grover the satyr.

Annabeth then joins Percy on an incredible transcontinental odyssey that takes them six hundred stories above New York City (the portal to Mount Olympus) and to the iconic Hollywood sign, under which burn the fires of the Underworld.
Alexandra Daddario starred in the TV soap “All My Children.” She has also appeared in many TV shows including “Damages” and “Law & Order.”  Her film credits include “The Squid and the Whale,” “The Hottest State,” “The Attic” and “Bereavement.”

Q: Can you tell us about your character Annabeth?
A: “Her mother had a relationship with a mortal man. She had a father who was not very kind to her. Annabeth is Athena’s daughter, which makes her a demigod.  She therefore possesses many of the traits of the goddess Athena.  She is very strong, a great warrior and highly skilled at archery.  She is the goddess of battle strategy but she also is beautiful.”

Q: Have you had any scenes with the adult actors?
A: “I have worked with Rosario Dawson who is amazing. Steve Coogan is great, so funny and awesome and perfectly cast. It is great to meet all these people I’ve looked up to.  This is a dream come true for me. How fantastic to work with Pierce Brosnan – James Bond – he is a wonderful guy and great to work with.”

Q: As a demigod, half-human and half-god, what are her flaws?
A: “One of the great things about Greek mythology is that like mortals, the gods and goddesses make mistakes, which makes them human in a way. We all have flaws so it is very realistic in that sense.  Annabeth is also a contradiction because she has so much power and confidence but she is also very sweet and vulnerable. Percy is actually the one that brings out her vulnerability.”
Q: These demigods have educational problems like dyslexia.  Is that the case with Annabeth?

A: “Yes the demigods are wired for battle and for reading Greek. So in the real world they seem to be struggling with learning problems.”
Q: Why do you think the PERCY JACKSON books are so popular?

A: “I think children love these books and identify with the characters because they are realistic.  Growing up I had to face the same issues that all teens go through at some point, like insecurity. It is hard when your boyfriend breaks up with you or someone is mean to you in school or when you fight with your parents. I went through some of those issues like fear of love and fear of being abandoned. Annabeth wants her mother’s approval and I did too. One of the great things about these kids is that they have problems like everyone else, but they are also strong and inspiring.”

Q: You took part in a boot camp to train for the film, what was that like?
A: “I had to do three hours of training in the morning and then we would jog at night.  I had sword training and actually kept a fake plastic sword in my hotel room to practice. I always kept the windows closed so I didn’t scare anyone (laughs).  We did fight choreography, weight training, cardio and running. We had archery lessons as well. I was in intensive training for three weeks before we started filming and it really kicked me into shape.”
Q: Do you identify with Annabeth in terms of her adventurous spirit?

A: “I do, because going into acting as a career has been adventurous and scary for me.  It was risky for me to take time off from school and to keep going.  It sometimes seemed like an impossible task. There are so many obstacles that I face every day, some small and some not so small, but as long as I keep fighting and working towards my goals I know I will be fine. So I can definitely relate to Annabeth’s spirit and determination.”

“Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” opens February 12 (Friday) in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.