Riverdale is finally coming to an end, and yes, it has been that long, and no, the cast has no idea why.
Riverdale, which began as a murder mystery centred on characters from the Archie comics, has evolved into a very other beast, with the series’ conclusion revealed in May.
Riverdale has got it all: cults, the occult, serial killer genes, and impromptu musical scenes, and it has been highly lambasted for it.
Even the cast has been unable to disguise their bemusement and, at times, actual ‘cringe’ at their characters’ misfortunes.
Almost every significant cast member has made a questionable remark about Riverdale at some time throughout the show’s seven-season run.
The Riverdale cast hasn’t held back their comments, from Cole Sprouse being embarrassed by Jughead’s ‘weirdo’ statement to Lili Reinhart admitting she can’t sing.
KJ Apa
KJ Apa, who plays Archie Andrews, has expressed mixed sentiments about the programme and the cast’s lack of creative influence over their futures.
‘We’re on a giant machine of a show – with a tremendous worldwide reach and a large following – and it’s a show where we don’t get to… our voices aren’t heard as much as other creative individuals that are engaged,’ KJ told NME in 2021.
‘As actors, we very much have a job to do, and it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s fun, that we’re appreciative, and that we love to do it,’ he continued.
‘It’s simply… not like being part in other projects where we could have more of a say in the creative process.’
‘I felt so free coming from a show where I feel like I’m in jail a lot of the time,’ the redheaded leading man said in the same year when promoting his picture Songbird. There are so many limits to what I can and cannot accomplish.’
Since the end of filming, the Kiwi actor has chopped his vividly coloured hair and grown a black beard, indicating that Archie is no longer alive.
Lili Reinhart
Lili, who has been playing Betty Cooper since 2017, has received several remarks from fans, many of which have been critical of her relationship with Cole Sprouse.
She did defend the plot lines, saying a lot is ‘taken out of context’ but said: ‘[People] are like, “What? I thought this was about teenagers.” And we thought so as well – in season one.’
Lili added: ‘It’s really not been easy to feel that you’re the butt of a joke. We all want to be actors; we’re passionate about what we do.
‘So when the absurdity of our show became a talking point, it was difficult. We can all be happy that we had a consistent job for seven years.
‘I could speak for probably all of us: We will never again do something that’s 100-plus episodes.’
In a 2020 interview with Nylon, Lili said of Covid’s influence, “I honestly feel like a prisoner, coming back to work, since I can’t leave Canada.”
She also shared her frustration about the fact she can’t work on any other projects during this time either as she added: ‘I’m very lucky, but it’s like, “I need to keep going. I need to keep going.”‘
Poor Lili has also shared that singing was not on the audition memo, telling Vulture: ‘They just put songs in there and were like, “You guys are singing, whether you suck or not”.’
Cole Sprouse
Cole has had a lot to say about his connection with co-star Lili, which has landed him in the crosshairs of fans.
However, he has been forthright in his opinions regarding Riverdale, telling GQ Hype that the cast is ready to quit.
The Jughead Jones actor said he was ready to ‘wrap it up with a bow’ and added: ‘I’m not a creative force behind [Riverdale]. I actually have no creative control.’
Cole said to Buzzfeed in an even more open moment that the viral ‘weirdo’ comment made him squirm.
‘Jughead definitely has his cringe-boy moments. Juggy deserves the flack,’ joked the former Disney child star.
‘Glad that scene resonated with the audience the same way it resonated with me as the actor reading those lines’ Cole said, referring to the internet meme about the awkward monologue.
Cole also joked on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon about Riverdale’s set resembling a “waxwork” museum.
Jimmy asked: ‘Have you been to any waxwork museums recently?’
Cole, somewhat cuttingly, replied: ‘Besides the set of Riverdale? No.’
Madelaine Petsch
Madelaine Petsch said in the same Vulture interview as Lili, ‘They didn’t even care if I could dance, and I play a cheerleader!’
Cheryl Blossom from Madelaine has been a witch, an arsonist, kept her deceased twin brother’s remains in her cellar, and played Jailhouse Rock outside juvie.
She joked: ‘When I flew through the sky shooting lasers out of my hands at a comet. I was terrified to go on wires, and I was horrified that people could take this thing that I was doing and make a meme out of it.’
‘Rightfully so,’ added the actress, and yes that actually happened on Riverdale.
Camila Mendes
Camila played Betty’s best friend and competitor for Archie’s adoration, Veronica Lodge, who had raven hair.
The new student turned mob boss had some bonkers plots and in the Vulture interview joked: ‘If there’s one thing that show taught us, it’s how to wing it.’
She continued: ‘I sang Ladies Who Lunch before I even knew what the scene was. Oftentimes, the poor music producer is the one having to tell me, like, “Yeah, I think you’re walking around and you’re kind of upset?”‘
In a jab at the tendency to age up actors, Camila posted a mirror selfie to her Instagram story with the caption: ‘How I felt about portraying a character that has already graduated high school.
When promoting her film Dangerous Lies, she said in an interview: ‘What’s nice about that is I’m playing an adult—a young, married woman—and not someone in high school.’
Vanessa Morgan
Vanessa, who played Cheryl’s one-time love interest Toni Topaz, critiqued the show’s treatment of non-white characters in a less humorous and more serious manner.
In May 2020, Vanessa tweeted: ‘Tired of how black people are portrayed in media, tired of us being portrayed as thugs, dangerous or angry scary people.
‘Tired of us also being used as sidekick non-dimensional characters to our white leads. Or only used in the ads for diversity but not actually in the show.
It starts with the media. I’m not being quiet anymore.’
‘We hear Vanessa,’ said show creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Vanessa is adored by us. She is correct. We apologise and make the same guarantee we made to her.
‘We will do better to honour her and the character she plays. As well as all of our actors and characters of colour.’
Thankfully for all those involved, Riverdale is finally drawing to a close
The whole of Riverdale, including the final episode, is available to stream on Netflix now.
