Leah Sava Jeffries, reflecting on her time filming Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, recalls one of the most challenging days on set. The actress, who steps into the shoes of Annabeth Chase, recently opened up about the fifth episode, “We Check Into C.C.’s Spa & Resort,” in an interview with Decider. She discussed how a pivotal scene demanded more emotional depth than she had initially anticipated.

At just 16, Jeffries noted that this episode offered both her and Walker Scobell, who portrays the titular character Percy Jackson, an opportunity to explore their roles with greater flexibility. “There’s a very, very sweet scene between Percy and Annabeth. It was really intense for us that day,” she remarked, highlighting the emotional weight of the scene.

She further elaborated, saying, “It was very intense — some of the things that were in there were actually improv.” This glimpse behind the scenes reveals the actors’ commitment to bringing authenticity and spontaneity to their performances, enriching the on-screen dynamics between their characters.

“There’s a very, very sweet scene between Percy and Annabeth. It was really intense for us that day,” she said.

She continued, “It was very intense — some of the things that were in there were actually improv.”

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Episode 5 includes several major story moments, including Circe, played by Rosemarie DeWitt, temporarily transforming Percy into a guinea pig, along with a sequence where Annabeth encounters a dangerous siren’s call.

Near the end of the episode, Percy pulls Annabeth away from the sirens. The moment also features a brief appearance by Annabeth’s mother, Athena, portrayed by Andra Day. In Rick Riordan’s book series, Athena’s first on-page appearance does not occur until The Titan’s Curse, making the show’s introduction earlier than expected.

Leah explained that she and her costar experimented with a variety of movements during filming to find the right emotional tone before producers decided on the final version. She said the improvisation wasn’t about dialogue, but about the physicality of the scene.

“People actually ask a lot, they’re always asking, ‘Do you guys improv and all that?’ And we always were like, ‘Not that much,’ But it wasn’t like words improv the entire time, it was like physical improv, I think, that wasn’t in the script at first,” she explained to the outlet.

“And it was actually really, really good for that scene to come out a certain way.”

The first five episodes of Season 2 are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. New episodes debut on Wednesdays.