‘Riverdale’ will be wrapping up its third season in a show-stopping finale on May 15. HL spoke EXCLUSIVELY with Madelaine Petsch about what fans can expect, all things Choni, her new capsule collection, and more.
Brace yourselves, Riverdale fans. The season 3 finale is going to leave everyone SHOOK. HollywoodLife spoke EXCLUSIVELY with Madelaine Petsch, a.k.a. Cheryl Blossom, at the launch of her new capsule collection, M3, with Privé Revaux at The Butterfly Bar in New York City. Madelaine showcased her second collection with the celebrity eyewear company, including the three new styles — the Monroe, the Matrix, and the Mads. In addition to showing off her new collab, she got to spill some Riverdale goodness.
The actress teased what she could about the highly-anticipated season 3 finale. Anything can happen on Riverdale, so just keep that in mind. Madelaine also opened up about Cheryl’s relationship with Toni and the incredible Choni fandom. Plus, Madelaine reveals her hopes for season 4. Check out our full Q&A below.
What can you tease about the Riverdale season 3 finale? Cheryl sacrificed herself for Toni!
Madelaine Petsch: I know, I love that moment. When I read that in the script I was like crying. It was just such a beautiful moment for them. Cheryl could be dead or alive, at this point. And anybody else on this show could also be dead or alive if you catch my drift.
Right before Toni ran, Cheryl said: “I love you.” Seeing the rise of Choni has been amazing. What does it mean to you to have such amazing support from fans and to know that they are just so behind Cheryl and Toni?
Madelaine Petsch: There are two parts to that. There’s something really beautiful about having so many people be passionate about the art that you make. It is like a feeling that is unlike any other. And then two-fold it is also such an incredible feeling to know that your art affects people’s actual real lives. I’m on a TV show that I make and love but I’ve had fans come up to me and say that my story on the show inspired them to come out. Or to be honest with their parents. Or to be in a female-female or male-male relationship. It’s a really beautiful thing that something that I make like my job and my art inspires someone’s real life. It’s kind of incredible. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I’d be able to bring representation to television in a way that would touch people and change their lives for the better.
How would you describe the finale?
Madelaine Petsch: I would say completely unexpected. I would say it’ll leave you on the edge of your seat and I would say shocking. Particularly with my character in the wrap up of season 3.
Do you think Cheryl and Toni are endgame?
Madelaine Petsch: I hope so, that’s for sure. But nothing’s for sure in Riverdale, that’s what one thing I’ve learned. I’m hanging on by the seat of my pants just like everybody else.
Riverdale has been renewed for season 4. Where do you want to see Cheryl go? Is there any aspect of your character that you want to tap into?
Madelaine Petsch: As an audience member I would want to see Cheryl happy. But as an actor, it’s so much more fun and challenging to see her doing all the ping-ponging that she does emotionally. I think it’d be really great to see her kind of delve into therapy finally so that she can come to terms with the loss of her brother, or maybe not loss of her brother. There are so many things she has to deal with, it’d be nice to see her actually do that. The show goes in such different directions you can never guess what happens, but I would just love to see Cheryl and Toni stay together. Side note, I’d also love to see Heather come into the picture. Do you remember Heather? Cheryl’s first love. I think it would be fun to stir up a little drama, but I don’t want Choni to break up. I just want to see how Toni would handle it. I also want to see the person who caught Cheryl’s heart and made her realize her sexuality.
There’s a possibility that Jason is alive. How do you think that could impact Cheryl if he is alive?
Madelaine Petsch: You know, somebody asked me that earlier and I had to really think about it. Part of me is like, ‘She’d be so happy.’ And then part of me is like, ‘Wait, no she wouldn’t.’ Because that means that for the last two years or so he’s been hiding from her and she didn’t know that she was alive. I think her heart would actually be more broken because she had been trying to deal with the loss of her brother and then finding out that he was still alive. It’s like he’s actually ripping her heart out, putting it back in, ripping it out, putting it back in, over and over again.
This is your second capsule collection with Privé Revaux. What prompted you to do another one?
Madelaine Petsch: I think a lot of it was just how much fun I had with the first one, I don’t think you should do anything just because it was successful. You should do it because you enjoyed it. I don’t look at this as a job. This is something fun and creative for me and it was such a great experience. Also, the fans really seem to enjoy it and it was a different way for them to connect with me. I have a YouTube channel, I’m on a TV show, but for them to see me, like something that I’ve actually physically made with my own two hands, that I created myself, I think is just another way to connect with them. I love sunglasses so much. Why wouldn’t I want to do that?
What was the inspiration behind the new styles?
Madelaine Petsch: It’s just what I liked. I knew that I wanted another small pair, like the Candys from last year, but I wanted to do something different with them so I did the Matrix. I changed the metal color versus the actual frame and the lens itself because I don’t love to mix metal unless it’s intentional. A lot of people don’t like to mix their accessories and, in general, I don’t like to so I have those in yellow gold, rose gold, silver, and black. They go with everything. I made the Monroe which is the larger pair because I feel like it’s more of an everyday pair. And it’s like you just throw them on, run out, do whatever you want. The Mads I named for myself because I think they have the most personality of the whole collection. It’s like this is me in a pair of sunglasses.