Timothy Simons Says It Was ‘Really Fun' to Film 'Percy Jackson' Series Because His Kids Were So ‘Passionate' About Books (Exclusive)
As the hit Disney+ original series — based on the popular books by Rick Riordan — returns for its second season, the Nobody Wants This star will play the recurring role of Tantalus, a newly appointed activities director at Camp Half-Blood, Variety reported in August.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE ahead of his Coors Light 2025 Super Bowl ad, Simons, 46, says that the role was especially exciting for his twin 13-year-olds — who had just picked up the book series for the first time a few months before he was cast.
'They loved them,' the actor says of his kids' relationship to the books. 'It's very fun to know that I can do something my kids are into.'
Related: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2: All About the Disney+ Show's 'Bigger and Even Better' Second Chapter
The role marks a new adventure for the actor, who is best known for his recurring character across all seven seasons of the raunchy comedy Veep, playing foul-mouthed White House staffer Jonah Ryan.
'We haven't shown them Veep yet for very obvious reasons,' Simons tells PEOPLE. 'But this was really fun for them ... to see something that they're passionate about that I got to be in.'
The actor adds that the young cast members of Percy Jackson 'were really gracious' when he told them about his kids' love of the book series.
'I brought up some books and the cast all signed the books,' says Simons, adding that his kids 'were over the moon.'
!
'I don't know how long those positive vibes are going to last,' jokes the dad about his teenage kids. 'There are a lot of emotions running around my house, and usually they're directed at me.'
In addition to Simons, the series will welcome a host of new cast members for season 2: The Deliverance's Andra Day as the goddess Athena; The Half Of It's Daniel Diemer as Percy's Cyclops half-brother Tyson and Resident Evil's Tamara Smart as daughter of Zeus Thalia Grace.
Walker Scobell will return to the series as Percy, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, as well as Toby Stephens and Virginia Kull, who play Percy's parents.
Simons tells PEOPLE it was particularly fun to work on the set of Percy Jackson because many of the adults on the show 'get to be the fools' — while 'everything is deadly serious' for the younger characters.
'The adults get to be a little bit scary in moments and goofy,' says the actor. 'We can really have fun and be a little bit bigger — because essentially I was doing mask work. I had two and a half hours in the makeup chair every morning.'
'I had a really wonderful time,' he says.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
14 minutes ago
- USA Today
WSU Alum Erik Coleman opens up about new Kansas City Chiefs QB Gardner Minshew
This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to retired NFL safety Erik Coleman and acclaimed car customizer Will Castro about his new show, Unique Academy. Coleman opens up about the Kansas City Chiefs signing fellow Washington State Cougars alumnus Gardner Minshew. "This was a vision of mine and a dream of mine back in 2009 that I wanted to be able to do a school, a technical school for young kids, and give back," said Castro, "So now that we're able to do it, it just brings a lot of joy." Castro, known for his decades of work customizing cars for stars like LeBron James, DJ Khaled, and Super Bowl champion Victor Cruz, brings his signature blend of hustle, heart, and horsepower to this powerful new format, mentoring the next generation. At the start of the offseason, the Chiefs signed quarterback Gardner Minshew to be Patrick Mahomes's veteran backup. According to Coleman, a fellow Cougar alumnus, the former Washington State standout is a great addition. "He's a true pro, and I'm so proud of Gardner (Minshew) and what he's done in his career. he continues to add value to all the teams he plays for, and he's one of those guys," said Coleman, "Yes, he has his unique personality, but at the end of the day, he keeps football first. He's a guy who learns the game. He's a student of the game, and when called upon, he's ready, and that's what you have to do. You must stay ready, so you don't have to get ready, and Gardner does a great job of that. Whenever he's given those opportunities, he's taking full advantage of them. It makes the defense pay." Acclaimed car customizer and TV personality Will Castro is back with an inspiring new series, Unique Academy, streaming now exclusively on Roku.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Malcolm Jamal Warner Cause of Death: 'Cosby' Star Dies Tragically at 54
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who came to fame as a star on The Cosby Show, has died tragically in Costa Rica. He was the beloved character Theo on the hit sitcom. How did he die? What was Malcolm-Jamal Warner's cause of death? According to ABC 6, Warner's "official cause of death was asphyxia." That account came from Costa Rican police, who told ABC that the actor "died near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica." Costa Rican authorities told ABC that Warner's body was discovered on the afternoon of July 20 and that he "was caught by a high current in the water." According to People, Warner's death is considered a drowning. He was only 54 years old at the time of his death. TMZ also reported that Warner drowned, calling his death an "accidental drowning." The actor "was in Costa Rica on a family vacation and drowned while swimming," a source told People. News of the tragic death broke on July 21. From 1984 to 1992, Warner played Bill Cosby's only son, Theo Huxtable. Over the years, Warner had expressed pride in the sitcom. "I know I can speak for all the cast when I say The Cosby Show is something that we are all still very proud of," he said to People in 2023. Although it's being described by People's source as a family vacation, it's not clear who was along on the trip when Warner died. According to TMZ, he is survived by a wife and daughter, although he kept their identities private. Warner had more than 700,000 followers on Instagram. Warner previously dated Southland actress Regina King. According to US Weekly, they broke up in 2013. "He said he wasn't feeling it anymore," a source told US at the time, declaring that King was "brokenhearted" by the Jamal Warner Cause of Death: 'Cosby' Star Dies Tragically at 54 first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 21, 2025
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Heartbreaking Details Emerge About Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Final Moments
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was beloved to television audiences for decades, starting as a teen on The Cosby Show, where he played Bill Cosby's only son, Theo Huxtable. Thus, his death has hit a lot of people hard. Warner died at age 54 while on a family vacation to Costa Rica. According to ABC News, he asphyxiated after being caught in a high current. People reported, via a source, that Warner drowned. Now, heartbreaking details are emerging about Warner's tragic death on July 20. According to ABC News, bystanders rescued Warner and "took him to shore" after he was "caught by a rip current." He was "declared lifeless" on the beach, People reported. The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) told People, "The victim appears to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current. The man was rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, where he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross. However, he was declared lifeless at the scene." Warner was on a family vacation. Paramedics "performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the patient for more than 20 minutes, but without successful results," Costa Rican authorities told People. He was swimming at Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica, according to ABC. He received treatment after he was rescued, but it didn't work, and he was declared deceased, according to ABC. TMZ also shed additional light on the tragedy. According to TMZ, a second person was also injured in the tragedy, and they were "rushed to a local clinic in critical condition." That person's identity was not released. TMZ reported that Warner's body "was sent to the Judicial Morgue in San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia for an autopsy." Warner was vacationing with his young daughter in Costa Rica, reported TMZ, which said the drowning was an accident. He was married with a Details Emerge About Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Final Moments first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 22, 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
