Leah Jeffries is an African American child actress who is popular for her stellar performances in films and TV series such as Beast (2022), Rel (2018), and Empire (2015 -2016). Again, she has been placed in the spotlight for her upcoming role Annabeth Chase in the TV series Percy Jackson & the Olympians (2023).
While the young star has captured the hearts of many with her performances, she has also been a victim of racism and criticism. Nonetheless, she continues to maintain positivity about her fate in the entertainment industry.
Leah Jeffries was Born in Detriot, Michigan; How Old is She?
As you would easily find, Leah Jeffries was born on September 25, 2009, which means she is currently 15 years old. Records assert that her place of birth is Detriot, Michigan, America however, she currently lives in Los Angeles, California alongside her brother Floyd Jeffries and holds an American nationality.
Leah’s parents are of mixed ethnicity (African/American). While her father’s career is unclear, we garnered that her mother Lee Jeffries is a TV personality for the Leah Live Show and owner of a production company ‘LeeJeff Productions LLC.
A Look at Her Acting Career
Leah Jeffries has been in the entertainment industry for over some years and fans can’t help but notice the magic she puts into her roles. The child actress has continued to capture the hearts of many with her energetic performance even though some of her roles have also received backlash from critics.
Leah Jeffries Started Acting in 2015 at the Age of 5
Acting has been a part of Leah’s life since her childhood days. While it’s not certain what would have spurred her passion for acting, we know however that she gained her first acting role at the age of 5 in 2015.
Leah Jeffries portrayed the character Lola Lyon, the daughter of Terrence Howard in the FOX series Empire from 2015 until 2016.
In 2018, she acted in the TV Show Faith Under Fire and has been at the top of her career since then further appearing in Empire (2015-2016), Faith Under Fire (2018), Rel (2018-2019), and Paparazzi (2019). She is set to also feature in Something from Tiffany and Percy Jackson & the Olympians soon.
Her Biggest Acting Role Set to Release in 2023 has received a lot of Criticism
Leah Jeffries gained massive attention when she was cast for the role of Annabeth Chase in the TV series Percy Jackson & the Olympians which is set to air in 2023. The series is adapted from a series novel of the same title which was authored by Rick Riordan.
Nonetheless, while many applauded the child actress for earning such a big role, she was criticized from several angles.
The critics stated that the character of Annabeth Chase should be portrayed by the same character described in the book. They added that depicting a black actor rather than a white actor for the role leaves a different picture in their minds.
It’s also said that the young actress faced death threats and hate comments. Consequently, her Tiktok account was suspended.
Read Also: Karen Obilom – 10 Facts To Know About The Talented Actress
Notable Fans in The Entertainment Industry Defended Leah Jeffries
In the child actress defense, several fans have used the hashtag “Leah is our Annabeth”, “Leah is going to be a great Annabeth and so on.
Actor Kendrick Sampson who is Leah’s dad in the movie made a 10-slide post conversing on the hate disposition against the black actress in the entertainment industry. He alluded that the black actress should be protected and encouraged.
Also, Rick Riordan the author of the novel series Percy Jackson & the Olympian has termed the critics racist. He argued that preconceived thoughts of the character description shouldn’t displace Leah’s talent and tenacity for the role. Rick expressed that the characters in the book were assumed by the writer and can be recreated by anyone who gives the same energy. He further urged the critics to cease negative comments towards the child actress since the role was rightly earned and not by merit.
In addition, Leah made a video to let on that her critics are only wasting their time. She revealed that her confidence is still high and the people who love her cannot be outnumbered.
She Doubles as a Model and Entrepreneur
Asides from Leah Jeffries’s career in the entertainment industry, she has also worked as a model for many reputable brands and designers. The youngster has also made appearances in commercials for the likes of Art Van’s 55th Anniversary and the Great Expression Orthodontic center.
Leah also represented Carol’s Daughter Natural Hair Care Product as the CD4 Kids Ambassador. Impressively, she was named the entrepreneur of the Month in the November issue of Little Entrepreneurs of America.
How Rich is Leah Jeffries?
At the moment, Leah’s source of wealth is her career in the entertainment industry. She has been acting since the age of 5 and so far, she has 6 acting credits which recorded great success.
Though her net worth is still been reviewed, Weafrique estimates it at $300 000. However, this remains a sneak peep of her success and not the actual value of her wealth.
Leah you would agree is making the most of her early years and it’s only a matter of time before the black actress gets worldwide recognition. It’s also worth noting that she would still be featured as Annabeth Chase in the upcoming TV series Percy Jackson & the Olympian against her critics’ plots.
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