Riverdale star Vanessa Morgan calls out the show for its treatment of black characters. Debuting on The CW in 2017, and based on the characters of Archie Comics, Riverdale has stood out from other teen dramas with its absurd and twisty interpretation of its source material. The series has turned its core cast into prospects for big screen projects. KJ Apa, the show’s lead, recently headlined the drama I Still Believe. Cole Sprouse, known for portraying Jughead Jones, also tested out his dramatic chops in Five Feet Apart. Lili Reinhart made a splash when she appeared in Hustlers, playing a character that is very different than Betty Cooper. Along with Camila Mendes, as Veronica Lodge, the foursome has helped to keep Riverdale afloat while shocking plot reveals and departures in the cast have continued to pile up.
Still, the foursome is surrounded by a diverse set of supporting actors. Morgan plays Toni Topaz in Riverdale, joining the series in season 2 before being upped to series regular in the following season. Transferring to Riverdale High after her school was shut down, Toni is a member of the Southside Serpents, functioning as a guide to aid Jughead as he joins the group. Toni has been involved with Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch), a romance which quickly developed on-screen. Toni occasionally has storylines of her own, starting her own gang with Cheryl in a season 3 arc, but fans of the series have spoken up about the fact that the character has remained underdeveloped.
In a series of posts on social media, Morgan has revealed that she feels the same way about how her character has been presented. Morgan began by saying that she was tired of how black characters were often depicted in entertainment. As it relates to her situation, Morgan suggested that she was tired of being presented as a sidekick for white characters and only being included for the sake of diversity. In other posts, Morgan revealed that she was paid the least and also stood up for her former co-star Ashleigh Murray who has joined Katy Keene. Check out Morgan’s tweets below.
Reinhart replied to Morgan’s comments with support, as did many of Riverdale’s audience. In the replies to Morgan, it has been pointed out that the series had written out black characters like Melody Valentine and Valerie Brown. Other comments noted that Morgan received screen time which was more comparable to a recurring guest star than a regular on the show.
What can be said, with a fair degree of certainty, is that there is a pattern of diminishing characters of color on teen dramas. The Vampire Diaries fandom frequently criticized and mocked the depiction of Bonnie Bennett, a black character played by Kat Graham, as a sidekick who was strangely devoted to the lives of the white characters rather than her own motivations. Going back further, producers on teen series for The WB have revealed that the network had been reluctant in its early years to hire black actors as regulars because of the potential blowback interracial relationships would garner. Although it was on a different network, FOX, The OC lasted four seasons and rarely featured people of color in prominent roles. Morgan’s experience on Riverdale regrettably fits quite well in a genre which often gestures towards progressivism.
Source: Vanessa Morgan, Lili Reinhart