Stars Dior Goodjohn and Daniel Diemer discuss the compellingly grounded fantasy of Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Based on the bestselling children’s books by Rick Riordan, Disney+’s B.C.-shot series Percy Jackson and the Olympians weaves the epic saga of a group of teenaged demigods — the offspring of ancient Greek gods like Zeus, Ares and Poseidon — who juggle the weight of their divine destiny with the usual angst of being a kid and figuring out your place in the world.
Season two recently wrapped, as Percy and his motley array of allies defended Camp Half-Blood from an incursion by vengeful titan Kronos and the various young campers he’d managed to corrupt. After a brutal, bloody melee, they were able to push back the assault — but not before an appearance by Percy’s absentee father Poseidon (Toby Stephens) portended of a greater battle to come in the already-in-production third season.
At the close of season two, stars Dior Goodjohn (a.k.a. Cerisse La Rue, ferocious daughter of god of war Ares) and Daniel Diemer (Percy’s cyclops half-brother Tyson) chatted with TV Week about the unique magic of this particular fantasy saga, and the balancing act of turning the exceptionally violent Ancient Greek myths into a show suitable for youngsters.
How do you like filming in British Columbia?
Daniel Diemer: I mean, I’m from Victoria. So, I love it. It’s great to be back home and to be there for so long with such a great group.
Dior Goodjohn: Love it. I am applying for Canadian citizenship. Please accept me. No, I really do enjoy B.C. It’s beautiful. I love it. I love the people. Everything’s great.
At the close of season two, how would you say your characters are different people than when we met them?
Dior: She’s a completely different person. We close out with her being receptive and open to community. And we also so get to see her bleeding heart that she really does carry. I think the thing about Clarisse is that she is passionate on all sides of the spectrum, whether that be rage or love or sadness. Everything she feels, she feels so deeply and intensely and we get to watch her go through the journey of what it means to find herself and feel all of the emotions and feel the entire journey of what it means to grow up.
Daniel: For Tyson, I think it’s really just a journey of belonging. He’s in this place where he’s felt so isolated. I think obviously with the show, we’ve changed to a degree where he’s been living with Sally [Percy’s mother, played by Virginia Kull], and there’s this awesome thing for him to be able to have a bit of a home, at least. But there’s still this wanting of a family. And I think a lot of it also stems from his desire to be really close with Percy [his half-brother]. He really looks up to Percy. And he also doesn’t know his mom or dad. And so, to be able to be at the end of the season and finally be able to meet his father is just momentous, but also be able to have this brother and this family around him that now is so accepting of him, it just gives him so much confidence to be able to move forward and utilize all these other skill sets that he’s kind of already had, in a fuller, more purposeful way.
And just looking at the world of the show and the world of the books, what is it that you think Rick really tapped into with this blend of ancient myth and modern coming-of-age? Why is that such a potent combination? Because it’s like, “I’m descended from the gods, I have a grand destiny — but also, I bought this shirt at The GAP.
Dior: Well, you know, the series that started out as bedtime stories for his son. So, it’s him trying to show him what his journey of adolescence might look like, in a way that’s palatable. And also, the power that it is to be young. The amount of things that you have going for you and just how meaningful that is.
Daniel: I don’t wanna speak for all kids, but a lot of me and my friends, especially my guy friends, we were huge fantasy fans and we loved the idea of being a knight in shining armour and a warrior and somebody that did something that was meaningful in our lives and had great impact. But to also see the humanity of it, how difficult that is — the day-to-day relationships are so key within the stories, but also within your own lives. So there’s so much that’s palatable, that’s connectable for somebody who’s going through that.
These myths that Rick and the show’s writers are drawing upon are also quite violent. Do you think it’s a delicate balance to strike when it comes to adapting those stories for a younger audience?
Dior: I think what we’re focused on is aging the show with the fans. So, each season things are gonna get more intense or a bit more gory or a bit more real and raw. I think that’s what might make the show last so long, you know?
Daniel: Yeah, I mean, it is a war. So, to be able to show the reality and the brutality of that, I think is also important. It’s still done in a way that’s more kid-friendly, but I think if you gloss over too much, it also becomes almost glorified. I think that’s a dangerous thing to push. There are consequences — like, this isn’t healthy, this isn’t good, this isn’t just “exciting.” There’s pain, there’s sacrifice, there’s death, and suffering.
The show’s like casting is so interesting, uh, to me because obviously you have the kids, but then you have all of these amazing, iconic guest stars playing the gods — like Megan Mullally, Jason Mantzoukas, Glynn Turman, Toby Stephens. When you’re on set with them, do you find yourselves just trying to absorb their particular magic?
Dior: You are kind of in awe. Especially like meeting Glynn and Jason, I was kind of just in shock for the first time. But they’re just people and they’re very invested in the show and the story and they’re very process-driven. So, you kind of forget that they are the stars that they are per se, because they meet you at the exact same level that you’re at. So, that’s how I feel.
Daniel: Yeah, I’ve been blessed to have a career where I’ve been able to work with some big stars before. I’ve been able to work with Liam Neeson and J.K. Simmons and Alec Baldwin. My first time working with people at that level, there was a lot more of the nerve aspect of things. And luckily it’s really settled into just excitement to be able to watch them at their craft. Like you said — the magic of what they’re bringing.
And being able to work with Toby [who plays his father, Poseidon], and seeing just how much depth and history he brings to a moment with so little time, he’s a remarkable, remarkable actor with so much presence. And Jason with like the energy that he brings and the manic nature of how he moves from moment to moment. He’s just so free. So, it’s really cool taking bits and pieces of that, how they approach craft, and hopefully able to absorb some of it.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, streaming on Disney+