Interview by Carol Wright | Photography: Sarah Krick Photography
We got to chat with actress Dior Goodjohn about her role in the HBO Max sitcom Head of The Class and stepping into the shoes of her character Robyn Rook.
Did a particular television show or movie inspire you to start acting?
Surprisingly enough, no. There was never an aha/lightbulb moment in my life where I decided I wanted to be an actress. It’s what I was destined to do and something that has been a part of my life since before I can remember.
Tell our readers about your show Head of The Class. What about the series interested you?
Head of the Class is a feel-good sitcom that you can watch with your entire family and still thoroughly enjoy. One thing that made the series special to me is that it’s not just a black-and-white story about teenagers in high school that get into situational comedic moments. There’s a complexity to the show and duality to the characters. This is how I would put it. The characters don’t revolve around the plot of the show, the plot of the show revolves around the characters. You could take each and every one of us and there would be enough backstory to write an entire spinoff. The show is definitely three-dimensional.
Can you relate to your character Robyn Rook?
Robyn is probably one of the easiest characters that I’ve ever had the pleasure of embodying. Everything down to our backstory is practically the same. I never have to overthink anything when it comes to Robyn because we’re basically the same person.
While filming did you learn a lot from your co-star Isabella Gomez?
Isabella was definitely one of the best den mothers anyone could ask for. Not only did she help me grow as an actor, she taught me a lot about life. She’s always there for all of the cast members, rain or shine. Sharing the experience with her was amazing and I can’t imagine having to do it with anybody else but her.
How do you all pay homage to the original series while still making this newer version of Head of The Class your own?
In terms of paying homage, we stay true to how we feel our characters would react in situations that they are put in. The show was written well enough to the point where we never had to really think about it, you could always just tell that it was there. In my opinion, the base plot of the show is the direct homage itself. Staying fresh within our characters allows it to be slightly different from the original while still keeping that OG 80s air that is easily identifiable with viewers.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
Do not give up no matter the circumstances. If this is meant for you things will happen in the right place at the right time. Don’t stress about booking, just do what you love and allow the rest to come to you.