Charles Melton is well on his way to becoming a household name. He gave a critically acclaimed performance in May December, which is part of Netflix's 2023 movie schedule, and he could become an awards season favorite. But before co-starring in the Todd Haynes-helmed movie with Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman, Melton was mostly known for being a cast member on The CW's Riverdale. Now, amid the flurry of acclaim he's receiving, he's referred to the teen drama as his “Juilliard” and I totally understand why.
As part of the cast of Riverdale, the 32-year-old rising star played Reggie Mantle for six of the show's seven seasons. After replacing Ross Butler in the role, Charles Melton recurred as the charming football jock before becoming a series regular in the third season and beyond. Now that the show has aired its emotional series finale, Melton now has the chance to spread his wings and try new things. Still, he sure doesn't mind shouting out his CW roots, based on the fact that he told i-D the show was “Juilliard” for him. He spoke about just why it's so "bittersweet" for him to be leaving the soap opera after all this time:
