Thanks to William Paterson University alumnus Robert Bannon, host of The Roundtable podcast on BroadwayWorld.com, a William Paterson student journalist attended a red-carpet event at the Paley Center for Media, which featured an exclusive panel and preview of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2.
The event brought together cast members from the hit Disney+ and Hulu series, who appeared on the carpet for interviews and photos. One of the first interviews was with Daniel Diemer, a new addition to the cast this season, who portrays Tyson, Percy Jackson’s half-brother. When asked what message he hopes Tyson conveys to audiences, Diemer emphasized the importance of leading with love and kindness.
Leah Sava Jeffries, who plays Annabeth Chase, reflected on how the role has influenced her personally. Asked which of Annabeth’s traits she has taken for herself after two seasons, Jeffries pointed to her character’s wisdom and thoughtful approach to challenges.
One of the highlights of the evening came during an interview with Aryan Simhadri, who plays Grover Underwood. Simhadri was asked about the show’s upcoming musical episode and whether his previous musical experience — including a viral YouTube cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” — helped him prepare. After a laugh and a witty response, he also discussed what it was like working with acclaimed songwriter and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The interviews continued with Charlie Bushnell, who portrays Luke Castellan, the series’ primary antagonist. Bushnell said he is excited for audiences to see the many layers of Luke’s character, noting the complexity behind his role as the “bad guy.”
The final interview of the night was with Dior Goodjohn, who plays Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares. She offered thoughtful insight when asked about the episode that premiered earlier that day.
The event marked another step forward in gaining hands-on experience covering major entertainment events. Full interviews from the red carpet can be heard on The Stage Door podcast on Spotify or viewed on the Stage Door YouTube channel.
