Riverdale Set to Recast a Major Character Ahead of Season 2

A Riverdale mainstay will be virtually unrecognizable next season.

TVLine has learned exclusively that producers of The CW’s rookie teen drama have decided to recast the role of Archie’s foe Reggie ahead of Season 2 as a result of scheduling issues with the character’s portrayer Ross Butler.

“We love what Ross did with the role of Reggie [this season], but because of his commitments to other projects, we couldn’t use him nearly as much as we would have liked,” series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said in a statement to TVLine. “[Next season], we want more Reggie on our show — he’s Archie’s rival! — and because Ross is unavailable to come back to Riverdale, we’re looking for a new Reggie. Those are big shoes to fill, but we’re confident we can find an actor who is as funny and sexy as Ross. And of course we all wish Ross the best.”

Butler is a series regular on Netflix’s breakout hit 13 Reasons Why, which is a lock to get a Season 2 pickup.

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The Reggie recast is the second significant piece of Riverdale Season 2 news to break in as many days. On Monday, we reported that Pitch‘s Mark Consuelos has signed on to play Veronica’s heretofore-unseen dad Hiram Lodge, although his casting is in second position to Fox’s on-the-bubble baseball drama.

Thoughts on Riverdale‘s decision to give Reggie a facelift? Got casting tips? Hit the comments!

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