Celebrating the Chinese New Year with GUM

full look. Vivienne Westwood
stockings. Calzedonia

What if you had the chance to reunite with someone you loved, someone you lost, through lucid dreams? This story lies at the heart of the movie ‘Daniela Forever’, where Nicolás navigates the depths of his grief after the loss of his girlfriend. Directed by Nacho Vigalondo, the film delves into the memories, the consciousness, and ultimately the painful process of letting go.

In a conversation with actress Beatrice Grannò, who brings the character of Daniela to life, we uncover the different layers of this emotional story. Granno, whom you may recognise from her recent appearance in the second season of ‘The White Lotus’, steps into the spotlight with Daniela Forever, marking her lead debut in a fully English-speaking role. At 32 years old, the talented Italian actress is set to make waves in the international cinema landscape.

Granno sits with Schön! and reflects on her experience filming in Madrid and Taormina, her recent fame, and opens up about her aspirations in the world of music. As she embarks on this exciting new chapter of her career, Granno’s journey is a testament to the power of dreams, both on and off the screen.

full look. Valentino
opposite
full look. Dolce & Gabbana

You’ll be appearing soon in the movie ‘Daniela Forever’, directed by Nacho Vigalondo. Tell us more about this project?

I’m personally a big fan of Nacho’s work, and I could tell from the moment I read the script that it came from an honest place. In the past, every time I did a project that came from a true place, it brought me something. That’s what I’m trying to do now with my career: make projects that are important for the people making them.

It’s very interesting the way Nacho talks about grief. He explores the theme as the person goes through a loss because he’s the victim, but also the “hangman”. As there’s a level of selfishness in not letting go of someone. You hold on to that person, but she stops being a person, and Daniela becomes almost an object. She becomes something that belongs to the person who is going through the grief.

Tell me more about her, your character, Daniela. How did you prepare for the role?

My character is not fully there; she’s a memory, almost like an emotional ghost. And when you play someone that’s not real, it’s very challenging. But that was something very exciting for me.

I think I’m really drawn to characters that are dreamy, and films that have that tone of materialism … it suits my energy. Who is she? She’s not really a person. I really enjoyed playing with the idea of creating some sort of energy; I think that Nacho didn’t want the audience to know who she really was. She is Nicolás’s imagination. It’s very brave to talk about this story like this. There’s a big scene of guilt the whole time, and that really broke my heart; you can tell she feels guilty all the time. But I guess when you lose someone, that’s how it feels.

Do you think it’s a good or bad thing that Nicholas was able to see Daniela again?

I feel like if you lose someone and you’re really heartbroken, and you’re given the power to see them again, even just in a dream… I think that’s what everybody would do. I would do it! I think that’s what Nacho wanted to portray. The fact that you don’t let someone go, you’re also not free yourself. I think the only moment you can be happy is when you accept that the person is not yours anymore. Nacho didn’t want the audience to fully understand who she was; you never really see much of her, or her past, cause that wasn’t the point. He wanted to show who she became because of her death.

full look. Emporio Armani
opposite
jumpsuit. Balestra

Let’s talk about your own memories and dreams. How did you get into acting?

It’s strange because I kind of grew up as a musician; acting came after. It’s not something that I was thinking about since I was a kid. But the thing that I always enjoyed was making shows, it could be theatre or just creating something. And I thought that acting was the right path to put everything into it. But the strongest memory I have of acting was my first leading role in Italy. It was a small film, I loved it, and I had the best experience. It’s called “Mi chiedo quando ti mancherò”, it’s from an American novel. It felt like the right time, the right choice, and I remember that I really loved that world.

Your international breakthrough came with the second season of ‘the White Lotus’ series. How was that experience?

Actually, I recently came back to Taormina, to the ‘White Lotus’ hotel as a guest. That was a very strange feeling, because whilst we were shooting, it was just us. The hotel was not open to the public, and we were staying there; it felt like our home. And I remember when I arrived at the hotel, they were like, “Let me show you your room,” and I was like, “Come on, this is my home”. It was a very strange feeling. We were in a bubble for about three months. But for me, that was such a joy to get the role. And Mia, my character, is a musician also who is dreaming of becoming someone in the film. But I never expected it to be this life-changing experience, or at least in my career…

Mia’s dream was to play the piano at the Hotel. Did you get to do that when you went back to Taormina? I saw the piano, and I was like I’m not doing that. (She laughs) It felt really strange; the piano was there, and I just kept looking at it. When I was playing the piano in the movie, I never would have thought that it would have such a big impact. Not just for the movie, but for myself.

full look. Vivienne Westwood

How did you deal with this sudden fame? Did you get recognised at the hotel?

I think in Italy I get recognised a little less, but when I was in L.A or N.Y people would always come up to me. I also changed my hair, so people are a bit confused. But when I was in Taormina, all of the guests, I mean many, went there because of the White Lotus series, so it was really funny to see people double-checking, and looking…

You were chosen with your ‘White Lotus’ co-star, Simona Tabasco, for the SKIMS campaign. How was that experience? Did you get to meet Kim Kardashian?

That was the moment that made me think that something was happening. I was in Rome, and I knew the series was out in the US, and I knew people were enjoying it, but I couldn’t get a full sense of what was going on. So when Kim K reached out, I was like: What is happening? It was fun!

We were supposed to do the campaign in L.A, but there was such a short time, so they all flew to Milan instead, and we did it there. Then, when we went to L.A for the SAG awards, and Kim reached out, and she said to meet up. So we had a coffee, it was very nice!

full look. Etro
opposite
full look. Attico

I know music is a big part of your life and something you’ve always enjoyed. Are you working on any music at the moment?

Yes! One of my biggest dreams right now is to be able to release my album. I just need to finish it. That’s definitely one of my goals right now. But you know, I don’t think I have the same ambition with music that I have with acting. For acting, I have a hunger, while with music, I love it so much, it’s something I do for myself. I’m not like “ I need to be on stage and sing.” Maybe that will happen and I’ll be very happy about it, but I don’t have the same urgency.

It’s more of an emotional thing for me. So as long as I’m able to realise my album, I’ll be happy. It’s enough, even if only two people hear it, it’s okay, it’s more personal. I love this idea of expressing myself with music. It’s something very important to me. The beauty of music is being able to say something incomprehensible, but when you do it through a song, you can say things you normally couldn’t say. That’s what music means to me: to be able to say all the things that are hard to say. You can do that through a song.

What are you most looking forward to for what’s left of 2025?

You know, sometimes this job feels like going fishing; you have to be very patient. Sometimes nothing happens, but you have to learn to stay put and ready. This idea stuck with me, I really see it like this, because there’s always something going but you have to be very patient.

As an actress, you’re always learning something, there’s always this big question: who am I? I am who I am, or am I what other people see? There was a moment when I thought that all that mattered was what other people thought, and there was another moment when I decided that all that mattered was what I think of myself. I think ‘Daniela Forever’ and ‘White Lotus’ taught me that there’s a very nice balance of both. You cannot block that; you have to project yourself, but at the same time, you have to protect yourself. It’s okay to accept what other people see in you. It’s a journey!

full look. Alberta Ferretti
shoes. Giuseppe Zanotti
stockings. Calzedonia
opposite
full look. Valentino

What do you wish for the future?

Now filming ‘Daniela Forever’ in Madrid, and with ‘White Lotus’, confronting myself with other cultures was a reminder for me that there’s so much more than I want to do. There’s so much more that I want to offer. I think it was a really life-changing thing. There’s no going back now, I need to keep going, I think this job is really about building a career in the right way. It’s not just about doing what’s happening to you, like you have to do every job… I think you have to think very carefully. ‘Daniela Forever’ was a symbol of that. That film really meant something to the director and to me. So what I want to do now is do meaningful things. And my hope is that there’ll be more!

full look. Vivienne Westwood
stockings. Calzedonia

‘Daniela Forever is in theatres now.

photography. Erica Fava
fashion. Valeria Marchetti
talent. Beatrice Grannò
hair. Christian Vigliotta
make up. Samia Mohsein
video. Jacopo Tofani
photography assistant + post-production. Angela Arena
digital assistant. Carolina Molec
location. BVULGARI Hotel Roma
interview. Mehdi Bensalah

full look. Dsquared2
jewellery. Osh Jewelry

Abigail Cowen was supposed to be having a quiet summer. One of those off-duty stretches filled with sunlight, rest, maybe a road trip, maybe just a good book and a playlist full of Mumford & Sons and country twang. “I started the summer thinking I was going to rest,” she says, “and I did for a little while…” The pause hangs in the air like the break before a twist in a movie. Because of course, she didn’t stay still for long.

Now, instead of beach days, Cowen is back on set, immersed in another story, another character, another world. And that’s just how she likes it. “I booked something very exciting,” she says. “The more I understand myself, the better I can understand the people I play.”

For a while, the 26-year-old actress was best known for playing fiery heroines in Young Adult fantasy: first as Dorcas in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, then as Bloom in Netflix’s Fate: The Winx Saga, a cult-hit that still has fans campaigning for a third season. But in The Ritual, Cowen shifts gears. Based on the real-life case of Emma Schmidt, a woman subjected to a 23-day exorcism in the 1920s, the psychological horror film is a different kind of possession story — quieter, heavier, and far more unnerving.

Cowen plays Emma with a kind of internal intensity that’s hard to look away from. The film avoids exaggerated theatrics and cheap scares, instead focusing on building a steady, embodied fear that intensifies throughout its unfolding. “It wasn’t about playing ‘possessed’,” she says, “it was about stepping into the emotional reality of someone trapped in her own body and mind.” That emotional commitment is quickly becoming her signature.

Directed by David Midell and co-starring Al Pacino and Dan Stevens, the film places Cowen at the centre of an unnerving descent — one where faith, trauma, and fear all blur into one. It also gives her room to explore the blurred lines between trauma, faith, and the body — themes she doesn’t shy away from, on or off screen.

Off set, she’s been reading self-help books, listening to country music, and booking a new (still under-wraps) project. But Cowen’s clarity about what she wants — and doesn’t — from her roles feels refreshing. She’s following her instincts. “If a story hits me in the gut, I know I’m supposed to be part of it,” she says. “If it scares me a little, that’s usually a good sign.”

Below, Cowen talks to Schön! about The Ritual, what it’s like to act opposite legends, and why fear isn’t always the enemy.

set. Bally
shoes. Jimmy Choo
jewellery. Alexis Bittar
opposite
sweater. Balmain
underwear. Contessa Mills
shoes. Malone Souliers
tights. Commando

You’ve played everything from a fire fairy in Fate: The Winx Saga to a possessed young woman in The Ritual. Do you actively seek out roles that push you into new genres, or is it more about instinct when a script lands?

It’s definitely more about instinct. If a character or story hits me in the gut, I know I’m supposed to be part of it. I’m not someone who tries to “collect genres”, instead I chase characters that challenge me or make me feel something unexpected. If it scares me a little, that’s usually a good sign.

Speaking of Fate, fans are still campaigning for a third season. What did playing Bloom teach you that you carried into The Ritual, if anything?

Bloom taught me a lot about emotional intensity and what it feels like to play someone who leads with her heart, even when it gets messy. With Emma in The Ritual, that emotional core is still there, but it’s internalised in a way that’s quieter and heavier. Both characters are trying to survive something they don’t fully understand, which gave me a really personal through-line to work with.

Emma Schmidt isn’t just a character; she’s based on a real woman who underwent a 23-day exorcism. Did the weight of that history change the way you approached the role?

Definitely. Knowing she was real made everything feel more personal. You don’t want to sensationalise someone’s suffering; you want to honour it. It wasn’t about playing “possessed,” it was about stepping into the emotional reality of someone trapped in her own body and mind, fighting to be heard.

What kind of research did you do to understand Emma’s psychological and spiritual state — did you focus more on historical accuracy, or emotional truth?

I did a bit of both. I read about the real case, the time period, and how the Church handled these situations but what mattered most to me was the emotional truth. I wanted to understand what it would feel like to be isolated in that way, to not be trusted, and to lose control of your own body. That emotional core is what guided me more than anything.

A role like this can be incredibly taxing. How did you protect your mental space during such an emotionally intense shoot?

Boundaries were huge. I gave everything during the scenes, but after we wrapped each day, I had to find little ways to come back to myself. Journaling, going outside, checking in with friends and just reminding myself that I’m okay, and that the story is separate from me, all really helped. Having that separation was very important to me.

set. Dolce & Gabbana
jewellery. Anayah
opposite
dress. Blumarine
jewellery. Alexis Bittar

You’re acting opposite Al Pacino and Dan Stevens — two actors with very different energies. What was it like sharing scenes with them?

I feel really lucky. They’re both incredibly kind, talented, and generous. Al brings such care and depth to every moment, and Dan is sharp, grounded, and so present. They both made me feel incredibly supported and gave me the space to fully show up. It wasn’t intimidating, it was inspiring.

There’s a physicality to Emma’s transformation that feels almost dance-like. Did you work with a movement coach, or was it instinctive?

I didn’t have a coach, but I did work really closely with our director, David Midell. We spent time blocking everything in detail and finding those physical nuances together. Once we had the structure, the movement started to feel more instinctual. It was physically demanding, but also really freeing once it clicked.

The film leaves a lot open to interpretation: spiritual possession versus psychological breakdown. Where do you personally land on that spectrum?

I don’t think it’s either/or. There’s a part of me that sees Emma’s experience through the lens of trauma, in how it lives in the body and fragments a person. But I also believe in things we can’t always explain. I think her story lives somewhere in that grey area, and that’s part of what makes it so haunting.

You’ve spoken in the past about the importance of mental health and not forcing things. Did any of that come into play while preparing for or recovering from this role?

Yeah, absolutely. I’ve learned that pushing through something emotional doesn’t mean you’re stronger. It usually means you’re ignoring what you actually need. I let myself pause when I needed to, and I tried not to bring Emma home with me at the end of each day. It’s still something I’m learning how to do, honestly, but I think it made the performance more grounded in the long run.

Did The Ritual change the way you think about faith or fear?

It made me sit with both a little more honestly. Faith isn’t always peaceful, sometimes it’s full of doubt and desperation. And fear doesn’t always mean you’re weak. Sometimes, it just means you’re stepping into something unknown. I definitely left the project with more questions than answers, but good ones.

What do you hope audiences are left thinking about after watching Emma’s story unfold?

I hope it leaves people thinking about how we treat others who are suffering, especially those who can’t articulate or advocate for themselves clearly. I also hope it opens up conversations about faith, trauma, and how often those two things intersect. And if nothing else, I hope it encourages a little more empathy.

Anything exciting coming up soon? What would be your ideal new role and why?

There’s something I’m working on now that I’m really excited about, but I can’t share too much for the time being. As for a dream role, I’d love to do something unexpected like maybe a dark comedy or a grounded crime drama. Overall, I just want it to be something character-driven where I can disappear into a totally different world.

sweater. Balmain

The Ritual is now screening in cinemas and available on digital/VOD.

photography. Meg Young
fashion. Rum Brady
talent. Abigail Cowen
casting. Alabama Blonde
hair. Mashal Afzalzada @ The Wall Group using Oribe, Dyson Beauty + Luxy Hair
make up. Jen Tioseco @ A-Frame Agency using Tom Ford Beauty
creative production. Clara La Rosa
interview. Gennaro Costanzo

Halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh lies Da Nang, an energetic city and tourist mecca with miles of beautiful beaches. On 29^th June, however, something other than sun, sea and sand was drawing in the crowds: something big, loud and very, very green…

Enter Sprite Beach Fest. As part of its summer 2025 campaign ‘Turn Up Refreshment’, Sprite has launched a series of free music festivals on shorelines around the globe. First up was The Philippines, then Vietnam, with further events in Brazil and Mexico potentially in the pipeline.

The idea behind the campaign is that an ice-cold sprite can save your summer, coming to the rescue in the stickiest and most sweltering of situations. “This year, Sprite’s refreshment is not just about the drink,” Global VP Oana Vlad elaborates, “but also experiences that provide ultimate refreshment, celebrating the fusion of music, artists and festivals to help everyone make the most of the summer heat and enjoy every moment.”

In Da Nang, this message was supersized with a towering thermometer, enormous inflatable water slide and giant jets spraying the 90,000-strong audience at surprise intervals. No doubt much of the crowd, which spread from the stage onto the streets, was also there for the acts, which ranged from rising stars from the Vietnamese Rap, Hip Hop and DJ scene, such as HURRYKNG, Low G, JSOL and RHYDER to established headliner Du’o’ng Domic.

“What you see here is very localised,” explains Vlad. “How the festival came to life and the experiences we’ve created were done through local teams that really understand the culture here. Four of the artists are up-and-coming, which is really important to Sprite as a platform for rising subcultures and genres, and then, at the end, a headliner that’s more mass in the pop space. The balance that we always want to strike is being that consistent, iconic, global brand but, at the same time, having those deep roots in the community.”

Mercury rising isn’t the only form of heat the soft drink brand is taking on this summer. “If you look at culture specifically through how it’s evolved on social media, you see spicy food and street food becoming huge in the last few years, through spice challenges and the popularity of spicy noodles, like what we’re having here, but also around the world,” says Vlad. “Almost 50% of Gen Z have at least one spicy meal a week. It’s about the thrill and discovery of new experiences. When you pair the lemon-lime taste and carbonation of Sprite with spicy food, it’s the perfect combination. It’s the perfect complement from a scientific point of view as well,” Vlad continues. “It’s that rising part in culture that our fans – the people we engage with – already love, and it’s the perfect role for our product.”

Cue the ‘Hurts Real Good with Sprite’ campaign, which includes late-night pop-up events (from 1 to 3 am), partnerships with brands like Takis and Buldak Fried Noodles, and the ‘Hot to K-Pop’ content with South Korean artist and brand ambassador Karina of K-POP group aespa. 

And, finally, Sprite has teamed up once again with streetwear brand SNIPES, today launching a fresh collaboration with an early 2000s aesthetic. The 14-piece capsule collection features graphic t-shirts, colour-blocked tracksuits, jerseys and denim. Of course, bright green features prominently, but there are also pieces in baby blue, dark purple and a Brazilian-inspired green and yellow colourway. 

Find the capsule collection at select SNIPES stores across Europe and online here. 

Read more about Sprite here.

words. Huma Humayun

images. courtesy of Sprite