The CW’s Archie Pilot Riverdale Is Filling Out Its Cast

TV News Archie

Back in November, The CW network generated serious buzz after announcing that it had picked up Riverdale, a TV adaptation (with some spin) of the beloved Archie Comics.

Yesterday we learned that the pilot for the live-action series has moved beyond the preliminary production stage and into casting. That includes the role of Archie, as well as three other series regulars.

18-year-old K.J. Apa will star as the series’ central character, Archie, a high school sophomore who has recently returned from a summer that’s “bulked” him up. The conflicted and boyish teen finds himself most interested in girls and writing and performing music. Apa has previously starred in the New Zealand soap Shortland Street.

Archie’s interests are apparently much to the chagrin of his father, Fred Andrews, who will be played by Beverly Hills 90210’s Luke Perry.

Meanwhile, the series has found two of its female leads in Ashleigh Murray and Madelaine Petsch. Newcomer Murray will star as Josie, the lead singer of Josie and the Pussycats. “A gorgeous, snooty and ambitious” girl, Josie is totally disinterested in recording any of the songs Archie pens.

Petsch will play Cheryl Blossom, a character described as “rich, entitled and never accountable,” according to Deadline. She the kind of mean girl that will kill you with manipulation and kindness. Cheryl has also recently “lost her twin brother in a mysterious accident.”

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, chief creative officer of Archie Comics, wrote Riverdale and is executive producing with Berlanti Productions.

Set in the present, Riverdale is a “subversive” re-telling of Archie and his friends adventures that explore the surrealism of small-town life, and the darkness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s campy façade.

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