‘Riverdale’ Cast Reacts to Vanessa Morgan Calling Out the Show

They have her back. The cast of Riverdale is supporting their fellow costar Vanessa Morgan after she criticized the show for making black characters “sidekicks.”

Morgan, 28, who plays the role of Toni Topaz on the hit CW show, expressed she is “tired of how black people are portrayed in the media” as troublemakers and overall “scary people.” Additionally, she said black actors are often used as “non dimensional characters to our white leads,” and are only utilized in “ads for diversity but not actually in the show.”

The starlet also claimed she’s the “only black series regular but also paid the least” and “used as the token biracial bisexual” on the drama.

The Canadian actress made sure to note her castmates are not at fault. “My role on Riverdale has nothing to do with my fellow castmates/friends,” she tweeted on Tuesday, June 2. “They don’t write the show. So no need to attack them, they don’t call the shots and I know they have my back.”

Morgan’s statement follows the resurgence in the Black Lives Matter movement and the death of George Floyd. After calling out the show, she announced she will only be “wearing and supporting black designers” on red carpets and at events going forward. “Any aspiring Black designers hit me up. I got you. I see you,” she added.

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The Degrassi: The Next Generation alum joined the cast of Riverdale in 2017 as a recurring costar. Morgan later became a series regular for the show’s third season in 2018. She was the only black cast member in her position when Ashleigh Murray left Riverdale to be a part of the cast of Katy Keene.

At the time, Morgan was thrilled to announce she was promoted to a series regular. “Thank you all for the kind words! SO excited to be joining the @thecwriverdale fam as a series regular! Can’t wait for you guys to get to know Toni,” she wrote on Instagram.

Scroll below for a look at how Morgan’s castmates are supporting her.

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Asha Bromfield

“Don’t even get me started with how Riverdale treated the Pussycats,” Asha Bromfield wrote, referring to her role as Melody Jones, the drummer of Josie and the Pussycats in the series. “We had so much more to contribute than standing in the background and adding sass to a storyline. I stand with you @VanessaMorgan.”

Ashleigh Murray

Ashleigh Murray, who played Josie on the show, reposted several of Morgan’s tweets after she came to Murray’s defense. In a now-deleted tweet, one user called Murray a “Diva” to which Morgan replied, “Another thing I hate BLACK women being called DIVAS for sticking up for themselves. Maybe the show should write for her like the white characters. You picked the wrong day get off my page.”

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

“We hear Vanessa. We love Vanessa. She’s right,” the show creator shared in a written message on June 4. He pledged to “do better and honor” Vanessa and her character, Toni. “Change is happening and will continue to happen … Riverdale will be part of the movement, not outside it.”
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina creator noted all the Riverdale writers “made a donation” to Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, but that’s not all they plan on doing. “We know where the work must happen for us, in the writer’s room,” he added.