Actress Alexandra Daddario was as thrilled as fans were that she was going blonde for the character of Annabeth in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

Speaking to Hypable at a media event in New York City, Daddario told us she knew fans were dismayed by the brunette color in 2010’s The Lightning Thief because it wasn’t loyal to Rick Riordan’s book series.

Why did she make the switch for the sequel? The choice was never up to her. It came down from high above. “It’s the powers that be that end up making the final decision,” she told us. “I was so happy to become a blonde just as I was happy to stay a brunette in the first one because I think each [team of filmmakers] has their own creative decision.”

Daddario cited physical attraction as the reason why she wasn’t blonde in The Lightning Thief. “I think in the first one they weren’t sure what they were going to do with my hair, and I think the ultimate decision was that I look better as a brunette. And I think that the fans, after the first movie, came out clearly. They really wanted me to be blonde. And I’m really happy to make the fans happy.”

“I’ve always wanted to be blonde so it was cool to be that way for a few months,” she added.

For your reference, here’s a photo from the original 2010 film in which Annabeth/Daddario is brunette:

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is in theaters Wednesday, August 7.

Check out more from our time with Daddario, Logan Lerman, and director ZZZ: