better and faster

striped vest. BODE
striped button down top. The Frankie Shop
pleated skirt + bow loafers. Shushu/Tong
tie. The Tie Bar
rings. SHAY JEWELRY
sheer socks. FALKE

At just nineteen, Dior Goodjohn is quickly carving out space for herself as one of Hollywood’s most compelling new talents. A performer with range that stretches from music to emotionally rich screen work, she carries a presence that feels both grounded and electric — the kind that makes you curious about the person behind the performance.

In ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’, Goodjohn steps into the role of Clarisse La Rue — the fierce, no-nonsense daughter of Ares, the Greek god of war. Season 2 gives her more room to command the screen, revealing layers of vulnerability, pressure, and power beneath Clarisse’s armour. Schön! sat down with Dior to talk about finding humanity inside a mythic world, what it means to embody a character shaped by legacy and expectation, and how a girl once seen as an antagonist may become an unexpected symbol of strength for young audiences.

polka dot corset. Valentino
pinstripe shorts + platform boots. R13
chain necklace. Laura Lombardi
opposite
striped bolero. Erik Charlotte
pinstriped trousers with skirt. Jean Paul Gaultier
patent pumps. Malone Souliers
rings. SHAY JEWELRY

In season 1 of ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’, you play the role of Clarisse La Rue as a recurring guest. How did you feel when you knew she was taking a more prominent role in season 2?

I felt really blessed and really lucky. I’d been aware of Clarisse’s arc since my initial audition for Season 1 back in 2022, and I was always so intrigued and fascinated by her story. I had so many ideas about how I could play her and build her — especially in the adaptation of books two and four. When I found out we were renewed for Season 2, and saw how dedicated the writers were to creating Clarisse and introducing the same vulnerability she has in book four into Season 2, I was just ready to get to work and bring her story to life.

The world of Percy Jackson is a collision between the divine and the human. Where did you personally feel that tension in Season 2 – in the stunts, the relationships, or your character’s evolution?



Man — would it be a cop-out answer to say everything? In all seriousness, I think there’s something deeply human about Clarisse’s evolution and her relationship to her father. I feel like Clarisse really channels the divinity that all the demigods have whenever she gets to express her godly talents — when she’s put in a position to be tactical, to lead the charge, and to fight for, defend, and protect her family’s honour. Over the course of the season, we get to watch the origin of that shift. We see her become motivated to fight not just for glory, but to protect the people she loves and cares for—and to defend the honour of everyone around her.


ruched chiffon victorian-style top. Alexander McQueen
striped bloomers. Erik Charlotte
mary janes. Sandy Liang
rings. SHAY JEWELRY

Speaking about the divine! In a world filled with gods, symbols, and stories, I’m curious. Is there a mythological figure or spiritual practice that holds meaning for you off set?


Oh, of course. Nothing in this world is more powerful than the human mind and prayer. Making sure I take time to slow down, meditate/pray, sit in gratitude and be with God whenever I can is a big reason why I am where I am today — and how I’m able to keep my sanity in an industry that moves so fast.


Is there a scene that pushed you in a way that felt particularly demanding – emotionally, physically, or creatively?



There’s a scene in Episode 3 where she starts off defeated and then makes the decision not to let the voices in her head decide her fate. She gives this gorgeous, motivating speech to all the men on board her ship, which changes the course of her quest. We called it Clarisse’s “Saint Crispin’s Day” speech — that’s what we modelled it after. Our acting coach, Andrew McIlroy, and I spent a lot of time with that monologue trying to get it as raw and layered as possible because, for me, tapping into sadness or vulnerability can be easier than tapping into true hopefulness and resilience. That’s what that speech was all about.

striped vest. BODE
striped button down top. The Frankie Shop
pleated skirt + bow loafers. Shushu/Tong
tie. The Tie Bar
rings. SHAY JEWELRY
sheer socks. FALKE
opposite
striped polo. Sporty & Rich
floral knit briefs. Coperni
lace bow pumps. Black Suede Studio
rings. SHAY JEWELRY

Clarisse’s intensity and sharp edges sometimes read as rudeness, but they can also be a shield for someone under immense pressure. Do you see her competitiveness as a response to what’s expected of her, rather than who she truly is?



Absolutely. We actually have a saying on this show, “There are no villains.” A big part of being able to play your character properly is learning not to judge them and understanding all of their reasons ‘why’. When I first got to work on Clarisse back in Season 1, my main objective was to discover what the aggression was a cover for. At the end of the day, she’s a girl who’s hurt, exhausted, and still trying to earn validation from the one person who will probably never give it to her. And once you understand that as her paradigm… You can’t really blame her for being sharp. It’s a survival strategy.


In shaping Clarisse this season, was there a castmate or mentor whose presence helped guide you into her physicality, her intensity, or her emotional rhythm?


Andrew McIlroy! He’s one of the greatest coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. The way he’s trained us as a cast has centred on being in touch with our nervous systems. It’s a very beautiful, complex method and always feels rooted in fact and truth — never in fiction, fantasy, or role-play. In the time I got to spend with Andrew this past year, I’ve gotten a greater education in my craft than I ever could have received from a traditional school.

striped wool sweaters + sequin bra top. BODE
chiffon polka dot floral shorts. Valentino
patent pumps. Aleví Milano
rings. SHAY JEWELRY

There’s something almost liberating about playing a character who isn’t afraid to occupy space. Has Clarisse helped you channel your own sense of presence, voice, or self-worth in your daily life?

Oh, 1,000,000%. I’ve said this before, but I feel like a big reason I’m able to be the person I am in my life is because Clarisse created a space for all of my raw emotions to exist safely. I don’t think people realize how rare that is to get to explore that kind of power and intensity and truth, and to be allowed to take up space without apologizing for it.

What’s even crazier is that the journey Clarisse is on — learning what it means to lead her own life and trust herself— was something that I was going through in real time while we were shooting Season 2. Playing her and facing those demons with her was a very out-of-body and life-changing experience for me. In a way, we were healing in parallel. I’ll never forget it.

Season 2 pushes Clarisse into situations where vulnerability becomes unavoidable. How did exploring her softer moments affect you personally – did it bring up anything surprising about your own emotional boundaries?



It made me realize that being strong is not about persevering through brute force. Real strength comes from honesty and resilience. Strength is being willing to feel the thing and still keep going— that was a lesson I think was very important for me to learn at this point in my life. I’m very grateful that I got to do it through her, and with the support system of our entire crew and cast around me. They made it possible for me to feel safe experiencing all of that.

track jacket. WILLY CHAVARRIA
striped polo. Sporty & Rich
mesh polo. Alexander Wang
floral knit briefs. Coperni
lace bow pumps. Black Suede Studio
rings. SHAY JEWELRY
opposite
striped bolero. Erik Charlotte
corset. Ludovic de Saint Sernin
jeans + floral boots. R13

Young girls watching Percy Jackson often look to the female characters for guidance or representation. Do you believe Clarisse La Rue is a character young women can be inspired by? And if so, what aspect of her do you hope resonates most?



I think Clarisse’s relationship with strength and with her father is something a lot of young people will recognize themselves in. We don’t see dynamics like that represented in YA media often, and even when we do, we rarely get to see a version of it that leads to real hope.

What I love about Clarisse’s story this season is that we watch her go through all of this pain, pressure and loneliness, but then we get to watch her find her way back to the light. She doesn’t just survive, she transforms. I hope young women walk away from this season knowing that just because it feels bad right now, doesn’t mean it has to stay bad. You can fight for your happiness, choose yourself and trust your instincts. You know what’s best for you more than anyone else. 



As your career evolves, what kinds of roles or stories do you hope to explore next?

I’d LOVE to play in a psychological and an emotional thriller! But honestly, I’m so open to anything that comes my way- I’m just excited to meet new people, make all kinds of art, and get the next generation back into theatres!

polka dot corset. Valentino
pinstripe shorts + platform boots. R13
chain necklace. Laura Lombardi

photography. Pooya Nabei
fashion. Marisa Ellison @ Opus Beauty
talent. Dior Goodjohn
hair. Sabrina Porsche
make up. Ernesto Casillas
production. Cassidy Cocke
fashion assistant. Isabella Sofia Lopez
interview. Kitana Lourens

photography. Courtesy Azienda di Soggiorno e Turismo di Bolzano

Crowned as a UNESCO Creative City of Music since 2023, the sounds of Bolzano are best experienced in the echo of its concert halls, at late night orchestra rehearsals with Stadt Kapelle Bozen, or in the hallways of its world class music schools. The alpine city may be towered by the Dolomites, but at its very core lies a rich culture shaped by the arts. Schön! hopped on a direct flight from London on South Tyrol’s boutique airline, SkyAlps, to explore Bolzano through the musical fabric that makes it one of the most unique destinations in northern Italy.

photography. Tiberio Sorvillo

In Bolzano, the pride they have for their musical heritage is ubiquitous. If you stop by the Parkhotel Laurin for a drink, you’ll find jazz. And don’t be surprised if you hear concerts taking place everywhere from the local prison to retirement homes and kindergartens. The musical pulse of the city is fuelled by infrastructure that provides locals with the best in musical education. “It’s super important to still invest in classical music,” says Professor Philipp von Steinaecker. He was a student himself long before he became the Director of the Mahler Academy which nurtures young talent who want to become orchestra musicians. “The beauty in music is that you you take these pieces that were written maybe 200 years ago but you have to recreate them in the moment. So, it’s not like you press a button or you show a painting, actual people have to redo [it,]” he says.

Music becomes its own lingua franca in Bolzano, transcending the need for translation. “There was always strong interest in music because you can offer symphony orchestra concerts without doing one for the Italians and one for the German [speakers,]” Steinaecker explains. “You can also open to other countries very easily because it’s completely abstract. It’s just a sound but it speaks to you directly or it doesn’t…the first connection is always emotional and that’s always a great starting point.”

photography. Luca Guadagnino

Bolzano poetically embraces its Austrian-Italian roots and it shows in every aspect of the city from its architecture to its symphonies. “Music doesn’t have any borders. We play and stay together, we create community,” says Monica Loss, General Director of the Haydn Foundation, a non-profit that connects the languages and cultures that define Bolzano through music. From contemporary dance to orchestra and opera performances, they organise around 250 events throughout the year. “We want to create bridges,” Loss tells Schön! “Not only between the two provinces, but also at national and international level.”

The arts scene in Bolzano may be rooted in tradition, but its reputation for artistic excellence is also a hub for refreshing talent like Leonie Radine, curator at contemporary art museum, Museion, and Principal Conductor of the Haydn Orchestra Alessandro Bonato, who is a tour de force named as one of Forbes Italia’s Under 30 figures of arts and culture. Each are testament to the power of art in building community and connection across generations.

photography. Luca Guadagnino

photography. Courtesy of Azienda di Soggiorno e Turismo di Bolzano + Tiberio Sorvillo + Luca Guadagnino
words. Shama Nasinde

For Berlin-based visual storyteller Foli Creppy, music plays a different but equally essential role. Born in Benin and shaped by movement, rhythm, and image, his creative process lives somewhere between control and surrender. “When I’m in a flow state, I don’t feel like I’m directing anymore,” he says for Schön!’s profile series. “I feel like a vessel — like being on a dance floor.” It’s one of the few moments where he feels completely free.

That openness is deeply personal. After initiation with the babalawos in Benin, Foli received the name Deze, a name that reflects who he is at his core. It’s a reminder that identity isn’t fixed, but carried, learned, and embodied over time. Berlin’s creative scene, he says, is strange, ambitious, and full of characters; a place where contrasts coexist. For Foli, every culture holds something to learn from, something you can move with rather than against.

He’s not trying to fit a mold, only to show up as himself. Music, in particular, grounds him. Marshall’s Major V headphones allow him to remain immersed, focused, and connected to the sound while navigating the city. Whether walking, observing, or creating, they offer a private space where ideas can form and flow uninterrupted. Music has always found ways to guide creative instinct. What creators and storytellers like Foli share is a belief in giving that instinct free rein, whether it’s to wander, to absorb, or to become something entirely new. “I believe that in every culture there are things you can use to your advantage, things you can learn from places and from people. I’m simply trying to be who I am.”

top + hat. Talent’s Own
skirt. AUTEL Studio

shirt. Mowalola
hat. Kangol
custom-made jewellery in ghana. Talent’s Own
opposite
headphones. Marshall MAJOR V
top, hat + custom-made jewellery in ghana. Talent’s Own

shirt. AUTEL Studio
hat + custom-made jewellery in ghana. Talent’s Own

left to right
headphones. Marshall MONITOR III A.N.C.
top + hat. Talent’s Own
headphones. Marshall MONITOR III A.N.C.
shirt + trousers. AUTEL Studio
hat + custom-made jewellery in ghana. Talent’s Own
top + hat. Talent’s Own

portable bluetooth speaker. Marshall Kilburn III
headphone on speakers. Marshall MONITOR III A.N.C.
headphones. Marshall MAJOR V
shirt + trousers. AUTEL Studio
hat + custom-made jewellery in ghana. Talent’s Own

top + hat. Talent’s Own
skirt + shoes. AUTEL Studio
opposite
shirt + trousers. AUTEL Studio
hat + custom-made jewellery in ghana. Talent’s Own

This editorial is in collaboration with Marshall. For more information on Marshall Major V headphones, MONITOR III A.N.C., or other products, visit marshall.com.

direction. Gabriella Clifford and Annabella Bowen
director of photography. Sonja Madani
fashion. Lisa Yermakova
talent. Foli Creppy
hair + make up. Iliyan Gogoff
production. Yoana Anastasova
set design. Marijana Radosavljevic
editing. Lucy Brown
colour. Jonas Minner
sound design. Joshua Springate
1st assistant camera. Manuel Ramos
gaffer. Rahul Balu Varghese
runner. Maria Fernandez