“Riverdale” is officially a bona fide phenomenon, the pulpy teen show gaining more fans with each season despite going completely off the rails (which is a huge part of why we love it, of course, asthe New York Timesnotes).
Grounding all the madness are the central performances from a bunch of hot young things most of whom, with the exception of former child star Cole Sprouse, were virtual unknowns prior to landing the CW show.
In the case of Camila Mendes, who plays Veronica, “Riverdale” was her first real job (as perIMDb).
Still, as Archie Comics fan will know, there’s no Veronica without her BFF and sometime love rival, Betty.
The resident Nancy Drew of “Riverdale” and one half of Bughead, Betty has arguably enjoyed the most growth out of any character on the show thus far.
Meanwhile,actress Lili Reinharthas emerged as a staunch and vocal advocate for mental health (viaSelf), making her a fan favorite on and off the screen.
Although each member ofthe “Riverdale” gangbrings their own unique energy, another actress was in the running for Betty.
Kiernan Shipka almost swapped Greendale for Riverdale
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, creator of both shows, toldEntertainment Weeklyhe originally envisioned Shipka playing Betty Cooper particularly after her “iconic” showing in “Mad Men,” opposite heavy-hitters including Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss.
However, when the time came to write “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” Aguirre-Sacasa quickly realized, “I’m writing this for Kiernan!”
The showrunner explained Shipka was the perfect fit for Sabrina, because, “She felt like the right actor at the right age at the right point in her career and someone who was up for the challenge, because it’s grueling.”
Although Betty could also go toe-to-toe with the Dark Lord since she’s stared down many terrifying serial killers in her time, Aguirre-Sacasa admitted Shipka was definitely his first choice to play Sabrina.
Luckily,Lili Reinhartproved to be the ideal choice for “Riverdale” instead and the rest is CW history.
