'Riverdale' actress Bernadette Beck says felt like she was cast 'to fulfill a diversity quota'
- Bernadette Beck, who plays Peaches 'n' Cream in "Riverdale," says she feels like she was cast on the show to "fulfill a diversity quota."
- In an interview with Elle, Beck said: "I'm not the first Black actress to show up on set, stand there, chew gum, and look sassy and mean. I feel like I was just there to fulfill a diversity quota. It's just to fulfill points."
- Insider has reached out to The CW for comment.
- "Riverdale" costar Vanessa Morgan has also previously spoken out about the show's portrayal of Black characters. At the time, the show's creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, apologized and promised that the show would "do better."
"Riverdale" actress Bernadette Beck has become the latest actress to hit out at the show for failing its black characters.
In an interview with Elle, Beck, who plays Peaches 'n' Cream in seasons three and four of the show, said she "was made out to be a very unlikable character and therefore, an unlikable person in people's eyes."
"I get it, there's always a protagonist and antagonist, but I never had much of a story plot or enough character development to even be considered an antagonist. I was, for no reason, depicted in a very negative, unattractive light," Beck said.
"And I'm not the first Black actress to show up on set, stand there, chew gum, and look sassy and mean. I feel like I was just there to fulfill a diversity quota. It's just to fulfill points."
Beck told Elle that producers would frequently ask her to act "sassy," and also advised her that her character was someone who "always speaks her mind," despite the little dialogue she had. Beck said that she would be "completely forgotten" about in numerous scenes, and would end up chasing the director down as she "hadn't been given any instruction."
"You can't treat people like they're invisible and then pat yourself on the back for meeting your diversity quota for the day," Beck said.
The actress, who also appeared in "Supernatural" and "You Me Her," told Elle that while it may be "just a TV show," she was concerned with the long-term implications of playing an unlikable and underdeveloped character on such a popular show.
"If we are depicted as unlikable or our characters are not developed or we're looked at as the enemy all the time, that affects our public persona. What kind of opportunities are we losing out on even after 'Riverdale?'" Beck said.
"Our white co-stars are getting all this screen time and character development. They're building up their following, generating more fans, selling out at conventions, and fans have more of an emotional connection with them. But if we don't necessarily get that, and we're looked at with disdain, what does that do to us and how does that stain our reputation moving forward?"
Insider has reached out to The CW for comment.
Beck is not the first "Riverdale" actress to speak up about the treatment of the show's diverse characters. On May 31, Vanessa Morgan, who plays Black bisexual character Toni Topaz in the show, tweeted a lengthy statement with simiar sentiments.
"Tired of how black people are portrayed in media, tired of us being portrayed as thugs, dangerous or angry scary people. Tired of us also being used as side kick non dimensional characters to our white leads," the statement read.
"Or only used in the ads for diversity but not actually in the show. It starts with the media. I'm not being quiet anymore."
Morgan also said that she was the "only black series regular but also paid the least" whilst replying to a tweet.
"Riverdale" costar Lili Reinhart replied to one of Morgan's tweets by writing: "We love you, V. And support you 10000%."
In response to this, the show's creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, issued a public apology and promised to do better. Aguirre-Sacasa tweeted: "We're sorry and we make the same promise to you that we did to her. We will do better to honour her and the character she plays. As well as all of our actors and characters of colour."
Read more:
Camila Mendes defends her 'Riverdale' costars after they were accused of sexual assault