Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart says the show’s treatment of black characters will change: 'The show historically has been pretty white'

Hit teen show was recently criticised for giving only ‘sidekick roles’ to its black actors

Riverdale star Lili Reinhart has addressed the recent criticism of the show for its portrayal of black characters.

Earlier this year, multiple actors on the show spoke out against the storylines afforded to black roles.

Speaking to the LA Times, Reinhart opened up about the controversy, commenting: “I mean, the show historically has been pretty white.”

She added: “Roberto [Riverdale’s creator] is very conscious of it now to make sure that doesn’t happen again and Vanessa doesn’t feel she’s put in that position again.”

Vanessa Morgan, who joined the second season as Toni Topaz, called out the series in June on Twitter. She wrote that she is tired of seeing black actors “used as sidekick non-dimensional characters to our white leads”.

L-R: Lilli Reinhart and Vanessa Morgan

Morgan also tweeted: “I’m the only black series regular but also paid the least”.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the CW show’s creator, apologised to Morgan on Instagram with a post declaring that “Change is happening and will continue to happen.”

Reinhart also vowed to take the criticism to heart as a producer herself. She recently executive-produced and starred in new teen romance film Chemical Hearts.

“I feel as a producer now moving forward how important it is that I’m not stereotyping, stereo casting anything,” she said.

“Really making sure I’m going out of my way to do right by black people, by transgender people, by people who don’t look like me.”

Morgan’s criticisms of the hit teen show were supported by fellow black actor on the show Bernadette Beck who said, “I feel like I was just there to fulfil a diversity quota.”