Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Who does Lin-Manuel Miranda play?

Percy Jackson & the Olympians sees the demigod return to the screen, along with Lin-Manuel Miranda – but who does he play?

Percy Jackson & The Olympians has been one of the most awaited shows for Disney+ in recent years. The books, which follow a young demigod as he attempts to find his place in the world and survive all the Greek myths and monsters that come with it, have been beloved for the past couple of decades.

This new TV series, which has far more involvement from author Rick Riordan, is expected to be a better depiction of the story than the 2010 movie, so it seems that no detail has been spared. And that includes the casting.

The cast is loaded for the series, but one surprise star has managed to stand out: Lin-Manuel Miranda. But who is he playing?

Who plays Hermes in Percy Jackson & the Olympians?

Lin-Manuel Miranda plays Hermes, the god of travel (and more) in the Percy Jackson Disney+ series. He will first appear in Episode 3.

In this show’s mix of the ancient and modern world, Hermes works as a UPS delivery guy, while of course being as flighty as the Greek Gods tend to be. Hermes is one of many gods who has demigod children that reside at Camp Half Blood, including Luke Castellan (played by Charles Bushnell) who guides Percy around the camp and offers him aid on his first quest in the series.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is of course best known for creating and starring in the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, but he also appears in In the Heights, Marry Poppins Returns, Brooklyn 99, and writes a lot of music for Disney animated features.

Check Miranda out in the Percy Jackson trailer below, where he resides in a casino that is far more dangerous than it seems:

While Hermes isn’t supposed to appear until the second book, creator Rick Riordan explained this early debut on his website: “Now you book fans may be thinking, ‘Wait a minute. Hermes doesn’t appear until the second book, ‘The Sea of Monsters.” You are correct. But remember when I told you we are adding new glimpses of backstory, Easter eggs, and other nuances to enhance the narrative while remaining true to the original storyline? This is a prime example. When you see the episode in question, it will make sense why we introduced Hermes early…”

The official synopsis of Season 1, which follows the plot of the first book, Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief, reads: “12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, is coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god, Zeus, accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt; with his friend’s help, Percy must restore order to Olympus.”

Check out our other Percy Jackson coverage here, how and when you can watch it here, and the rest of our Movies & TV coverage here.