Lance Reddick made a wonderful Zeus. His passing on March 17, 2023 devastated the production of the wildly popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+, which had only seen just one season released. But as one door closes, another opens, and with loss of Reddick came the need to recast the role of the king of the gods. Enter Courtney B. Vance.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to join the extraordinary cast of ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians!'” Vance said in a statement. “There are few moments in an actor’s career when you can honestly say that you’re about to board a series that has such a devoted fan base filled with characters beloved around the world and is based on a wildly successful book series. I know that stepping into this role of Zeus will be a memorable experience and I’ll be giving my brother, Lance Reddick, who left us way too soon, a heavenly hug.”

Who is Courtney B. Vance?

Who is Courtney B. Vance? Why does his name sound familiar? Where do I know him from? The odds are good you’ve seen Vance in other projects. He played George Freeman in HBO’s Lovecraft Country , the Rev. Mr. Henry Bigs in The Preacher’s Wife (1996), and Jonesy, the brilliant sonar tech in The Hunt for Red October (1990). Of course, most sonar techs are brilliant, just look at Miguel Ortizin seaQuest DSV. Vance also played “Doc,” the medic in Hamburger Hill (187) and was narrator for Isle of Dogs (2018). Vance played Roger Hines in Space Cowboys (2000). Vance played Lt. Glenn in HBO’s The Tuskegee Airmen (1996).

Why did Disney Choose Vance to play Zeus?

Vance has a lot going for him. His MFA from Yale University not withstanding, he has racked up 26 nominations for major awards and has won 17 of them thus far. He’s earned the respect of his fellow performers and the critics. Notably, in 1987, Vance won the Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Male Performer, and in the past three decades, he has lived up to that promise. Here are some of the highlights.

He’s already part of the Disney family, both in his own right and by marriage. When Disney finds an actor they like, they tend to stick with them. Vance has already turned in his performance as Cobra Bubbles in the upcoming live-action version of Lilo and Stitch, and his wife, MCU actress Angela Bassett, made her geek fame as Queen Mother Ramonda of Wakanda.

Vance has the acting chops and the gravitas necessary to step into one of the more remarkable roles in a generation. Congratulations, Mr. Vance. You’re going to be a great Zeus.