Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has responded to actress Vanessa Morgan talking out concerning the present’s poor therapy of Black actors and Black characters, together with her allegation that she is paid the least out of the present’s sequence regulars. Morgan is at present the one Black sequence common within the solid.
On Thursday night, Aguirre-Sacasa posted a message to his social accounts that learn: “We hear Vanessa. We love Vanessa. She’s proper. We’re sorry and we make the identical promise to you that we did to her. We are going to do higher to honor her and the character she performs. In addition to all of our actors and characters of colour. CHANGE is going on and can proceed to occur. Riverdale will get larger, not smaller. Riverdale will probably be a part of the motion, not exterior it. All the Riverdale writers made a donation to BLM, however we all know the place the work should occur for us. Within the writers’ room.”
#hearvanessamorgan @BLMLA #riverdale ❤️ pic.twitter.com/gnlI8Dh9yz
— RobertoAguirreSacasa (@WriterRAS) June 5, 2020
Aguirre-Sacasa’s response comes after Morgan referred to as out the media, together with Riverdale, for utilizing Black actors as props to advertise a picture of range with out really writing well-rounded characters for them to play on display screen. On Sunday, Morgan tweeted that she was “Bored with how black persons are portrayed in Media, bored with us being portrayed as thugs, harmful or offended scary individuals. Bored with us additionally getting used as aspect kick non dimensional characters to our white leads. Or solely used within the advertisements for range however not really within the present. It begins with the media. I am not being [quiet] anymore.”
I’m not being Fairly anymore. ✊🏽 #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/JXgJic4mrR
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) May 31, 2020
Morgan joined Riverdale in Season 2 as Toni Topaz, a member of a neighborhood gang and a love curiosity for Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch). Within the actress’ tweets on Tuesday, she referred to how the series has used Toni “because the token biracial bisexual” and referred to as out Riverdale for not giving her equal pay to her white co-stars as soon as she was promoted to sequence common in Season 3.
“Lmao too unhealthy I am the one black sequence common but additionally paid the least 😂👏🏽 lady i may go on for days,” she wrote.
However precisely, used because the token biracial bisexual
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) June 2, 2020
Lmao too unhealthy I’m the one black sequence common but additionally paid the least 😂👏🏽 lady i may go on for days 🐸
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) June 2, 2020
The actress stated that her points with the sequence don’t have anything to do together with her co-stars, who Morgan said “have my again,” and requested followers to not assault them.
My function on Riverdale has nothing to do with my fellow castmates/mates. They don’t write the present. So no must assault them, they don’t name the photographs & I do know they’ve my again. ♥️
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) June 2, 2020
Morgan additionally defended her Riverdale co-star Ashleigh Murray, who performed Josie McCoy on the CW sequence earlier than leaving for the Lucy Hale-led spin-off Katy Keane. Josie and the Pussycats have been promoted closely when Riverdale first premiered, however the band members have been hardly ever given storylines of their very own.
In a since-deleted tweet, a fan claimed Murray was kicked off Riverdale for being troublesome to work with. On Sunday, Murray responded saying, “Lol you clearly have me combined up with another person. I like the Pussycats greater than any present ever did. If it have been as much as me, we might have our personal present. And also you clearly do not watch Katy Keene as a result of sis is surrounded by ladies. So f– all the best way off.”
Morgan responded in assist of Murray, expressing her anger at “BLACK ladies being referred to as DIVAS for sticking up for themselves” and noting that Riverdale “ought to write for [Josie] just like the white characters.”
Lol you clearly have me combined up with another person.
I like the Pussycats greater than any present ever did. If it have been as much as me, we might have our personal present. And also you clearly do not watch Katy Keene as a result of sis is surrounded by ladies. So fuck all the best way off https://t.co/qAVARI2Vd6
— Ashleigh Murray (@iamamurray) May 31, 2020
You don’t know what the fuck your speaking about and don’t speak about my buddy like that. One other factor i hate BLACK ladies being referred to as DIVAS for sticking up for themselves. Perhaps the present ought to write for her just like the white characters. You picked the fallacious day get off my web page. https://t.co/go74B7YBYc
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) May 31, 2020
Hayley Law, who performed Pussycat Valerie Brown, and Asha Bromfield, who performed Pussycat Melody Jones, have additionally voiced their assist of Morgan and spoken out concerning the present’s therapy of its Black characters.
Regulation responded to Morgan, writing, “I’ve felt this from the start. We’re a lot extra.” Bromfield tweeted, “Do not even get me began with how Riverdale handled the Pussycats. We had a lot extra to contribute than standing within the background and including sass to a storyline. I stand with you @VanessaMorgan.”
I’ve felt this from the start. We’re a lot extra♥️ https://t.co/HIQSKNfglz
— Hayleau (@hayleau) June 3, 2020
Do not even get me began with how Riverdale handled the Pussycats. We had a lot extra to contribute than standing within the background and including sass to a storyline. I stand with you @VanessaMorgan. https://t.co/IUMm9xaFYO
— ASHA (@ashabrom) June 2, 2020
Bromfield additionally retweeted a thread “of all black characters in riverdale who’re sidelined/ignored/disappeared with out motive,” which included Morgan’s Toni, Murray’s Josie, Regulation’s Valerie, Bromfield’s Melody, and 10 different characters.
On Wednesday, Morgan wrote that she is dedicated to preventing for higher Black illustration within the media, and shared that she is going to solely put on and assist Black designers for crimson carpets and occasions.
To my black followers, I’ve now made it my function to combat for us. To the six 12 months previous me who had no function mannequin that regarded like me on TV. That is for you. We aren’t your token black non dimensional characters. That is being black in Hollywood. I’ll combat for YOU 🖤 https://t.co/OgsB5ZjDjE
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) June 3, 2020
And I’ll now not take roles that don’t correctly signify us. PERIOD.
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) June 3, 2020
To any extent further any crimson carpet or occasion I will probably be carrying and supporting Black designers. Any aspiring Black designers hit me up. I acquired you. I see you. 🖤
— Vanessa Morgan (@VanessaMorgan) June 3, 2020
Black lives matter. Textual content DEMANDS to 55156 to signal Shade of Change’s petition to reform policing, and go to blacklivesmatters.carrd.co for extra methods to donate, signal petitions, and protest safely.