Walker Scobell Skips Prom After Fans Target Potential Dates With Threats

Walker Scobell, the 17-year-old star of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, says he will not attend his high school prom after a wave of online harassment from fans created safety concerns for people around him.

In a message posted to his Instagram Story on Sunday, April 12, Scobell addressed what he described as escalating and harmful behavior from parts of the fandom. According to the actor, girls in his area—some with no confirmed connection to him—have been receiving threats simply because they could be perceived as his potential date.

“Just to let everyone know, I will not be attending prom,” Scobell wrote. “Please stop sending death threats to EVERY teenage girl who could remotely be associated with me based on their proximity to where I live. It's not fair to them or to their families. Maybe also just stop sending death threats in general. That's just not cool. Kinda weird I have to say this.”

The situation reportedly intensified to the point where some threats included warnings about showing up at the event or targeting anyone seen with him. As a result, Scobell made the decision to skip prom altogether in an effort to protect his peers and avoid putting others at risk.

The incident has drawn renewed attention to the darker side of online fandom culture, particularly the phenomenon of parasocial relationships—where fans develop intense, one-sided emotional attachments to public figures. While often harmless, these dynamics can become problematic when boundaries are ignored.

Scobell’s rise to fame has been rapid. Since the debut of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+, he has become one of the most recognizable young actors in Hollywood. The show’s second season, released in December 2025, received strong reviews, and a third season—based on The Titan’s Curse—has already been greenlit.

Other cast members have also spoken about uncomfortable fan interactions. Aryan Simhadri, who plays Grover, recently described situations where fans crossed personal boundaries in public. Series creator Rick Riordan and the cast have repeatedly urged viewers to treat the young actors with respect.