Marisol Nichols Is Headed to ‘Riverdale’

Back in 1942, a fun little comic book called Archie made its debut. For decades, Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica drank the same milkshakes at Pop’s, went to the same classes taught by Miss Grundy, and had the same wholesome adventures issue after issue. Maybe it was time for an update.

Starting January 26th, the entire Archie gang is getting the live-action teen drama treatment on The CW. The show, aptly titled Riverdale, revamps everyone’s favourite characters with a healthy dose of secrecy, sex and, of course, murder.

“[The comics] have such a huge following,” says Marisol Nichols who plays Hermione Lodge, Veronica’s mother. “I’m excited to hear what the diehard fans think of the show.”

Nichols had the luxury of stepping into the shoes of a character that was never fully fleshed out in the comics, offering her a little more leeway than her co-stars. “The creator of the show created her from scratch, basically. I love that. We were able to take her in a completely different direction than the comics had her going in, the few times that you saw her.”

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Are you more of a Betty or a Veronica?

Veronica, hands down. According to my character she got got her traits from my loins [laughs], so it must be something inherent about me. Veronica has a great sense of style, sensuality, and a cool New York vibe. One hundred per cent, that’s me.

What was your worst subject in school?

Math. I could never figure it out. I would argue with my teachers, like, “Why can’t I use a calculator for long division? I’ll always have a calculator handy in the real world!” But I’m always in incredible awe of people who can do that in their heads.

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What’s the best date you’ve ever been on?

I went to Italy to do a film for a month, and stayed in a tiny town outside of Rome where no one spoke English. The director’s cousin came to visit and he took me out on a date. We walked through the streets of this ancient town, him speaking Italian, me speaking English, and it was the most romantic thing I ever could have imagined.

What was your favourite show growing up?

I really liked Facts of Life and Family Ties. I’m an ’80s girl,if you can’t tell. [Laughs.] Oh! And Fantasy Island! It used to scare me.

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If you weren’t acting, what would you be doing?

If I could sing like a rock star, and hadn’t stopped singing as a child, I definitely would be a rock star. As a kid I always wanted to sing, and I remember singing my heart out and having someone close to me say, “Oh, I guess she’ll never be a singer!” So, I stopped. And then I fell in love with acting. But I shouldn’t have stopped singing just because of a negative comment.

Are you good at keeping secrets?

I’d say yes, but I don’t like the feeling of holding onto something that I can’t tell anyone else. I like to think that if I can keep a secret, then the people I’m keeping it for will be more likely to keep my own secrets to themselves too. If I don’t betray them, I expect the same back.

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If you had to perform at a talent show, what would you do?

I would like to be able to do a dance routine. I love Skrillex and David Guetta, the way they mix their songs makes me want to dance all the time. I’d want to choreograph something to their songs and just dance my heart out.

Riverdale premieres on The CW January 26th.
Photography: Benjo Arwas