It’s true that Riverdale is almost unimaginable without the adventurous undertakings of Betty Cooper, a complex character outstandingly portrayed by actress Lili Reinhart. But the path to success for the actress was paved with tough obstacles.
Reinhart reflected on her pre-Riverdale era in an interview with Vulture with her co-stars, and talked about how getting cast helped her secure a residence for herself — one for which she had already signed a lease.
“I had just signed a lease by myself in L.A., and I was terrified because I couldn’t afford it. This was my second time moving there to try and make it work, and I had no money and no job. I remember after my final audition, I was on the phone with my mom and told her it was the first time ever in an audition process that I felt like I truly was okay and at peace with whatever the outcome was: ‘I gave them my version of what this character is, take it or leave it.’ That night, I found out I got it.”
Both Charles Melton and Madelaine Petsch chimed in to relate their experiences as struggling, aspiring actors as well as their respective expectations from the show. That is, while Petsch wanted the part to get out of a restaurant hostess job, Melton worked as a dog walker and a takeout delivery worker when he appeared in the audition for the part of Reggie Mantle.
Nevertheless, it’s Reinhart’s character Betty that is attracting a chunk of the public attention, especially because of her romance with her friend Archie — even though it’s unknown as to how long their relationship will last, people are interested to see how things between them unfold.
With Betty being one of the series’ powerful characters whose dramatic story arcs have always been a fan favorite, we have to continue tuning into the remaining episodes to see what Reinhart has to offer to the role, and the series.