Riverdale Has Cast Luke Perry’s 90210 Costar Shannen Doherty for Tribute Episode
Riverdale star Luke Perry played an unforgettable role as Archie’s father, the wise, warm, and caring Fred Andrews. When he passed away on March 4 after suffering a stroke, he left a very large hole in the show and our hearts.
Since Luke’s passing, we've known that the show would address his death and Fred’s future, and the Riverdale team has shared that that the season four premiere, which debuts on October 9, will honor Luke and his characters, Fred. Now, Variety reports that the tribute episode will also star one of Luke’s closest friends and former Beverly Hills, 90210 costar, Shannen Doherty.
Riverdale executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa shared the news with fans at Comic-Con. He didn’t reveal many details about what her guest-starring role entails or who she’ll play, but did say that it will be “very emotional.” He also revealed that he and Luke had been discussing a role for Shannen since the early days of Riverdale.
“They were such good friends, and when we were putting together this tribute episode, we wanted to make it as special as possible," said Roberto, "and so we asked Shannen to do a pivotal, super emotional role. She read the script and immediately said ‘yes.’ It’s very impactful.”
From what was shared at Comic-Con, it sounds like the goodbye episode will be incredibly thoughtful and special. “When Luke passed, it was toward the end of season three, and we thought rather than rush an episode in, we would take our time,” Roberto said. “We really wanted to honor Luke, to honor Fred, and we wanted it to be a standalone; really emotional, really focused on what this character meant to this group of people.”
Cole Sprouse said filming the episode with Shannen was “cathartic” for everyone involved. “It put the cherry on top of that episode and made a nice tribute,” he said. “She was overjoyed to have the ability to share some of the burden of Luke’s passing that she had gone through in a cathartic setting with the rest of us.”
Shannen played 90210’s heroine, Brenda Walsh, who fell in love with Luke’s character, bad boy Dylan McKay. The show became wildly popular and launched its stars to megafame, just as Riverdale has done for its core cast.
After the news of her casting broke, Shannen posted a pic of herself and Luke in their Beverly Hills days to her Instagram,, writing, “I am deeply honored to pay tribute to Luke on Riverdale. The care in which this show takes in honoring his memory is beauty. He is missed. Today. Tomorrow. Forever.”
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Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Riverdale Cast Honored Luke Perry on First Day of Season 4 Filming
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