Chagrin Falls native Casey Cott stars in Archie Comics Reboot

The hometown of iconic comic book characters Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge and Jughead Jones undergoes a modern-day makeover in Riverdale, the CW’s intriguing 13-episode series that’s equal parts Twin Peaks, Friday Night Lights and Gossip Girl. 

“The show has many layers,” says actor Casey Cott. “It has a dark film noir. There are just as many sneaky surprises going on with the adults as the kids.”

Cott, a Chagrin Falls High School graduate, plays Kevin Keller, the comic’s only openly gay student on the show that premiered Jan. 26. 

“Kevin is a really great addition to the Archie gang,” says Cott. “He’s extremely witty, intelligent and loyal. He’s a breath of fresh air in a very dramatic situation.”

Cott got his start in theater after his mother prodded him to appear in a school musical by offering a $50 incentive. “That was my first paying gig,” he laughs. 

He has since landed roles in productions at Great Lakes Theater and the Beck Center for the Arts and studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University. He auditioned for the role of Kevin Keller during a college showcase in New York City last May. 

“It was a whirlwind,” he recalls. “I got the part and was on location in Vancouver the next day.”

Spending his teenage years in the idyllic village of Chagrin Falls proved to be perfect preparation for his new role too. 

“Riverdale really pertains to small towns across the country,” he says. “It deals with the complications of parents and high school relationships and the pressures kids put on each other.”