Breathe easy, “Bughead” fans: There’s no chance Riverdale‘s Betty is about to ditch Jughead for her old love Archie — at least not according to Lili Reinhart.
“I don’t think Betty has feelings for Archie anymore,” the actress tells TVLine. “I think that’s over and done with. She’s in love with Jughead, and is happy being with him.” She doesn’t rule out any feelings on Archie’s side, though — especially after that lingering look he gave Betty in last season’s finale. Reinhart chalks that look up to “wanting something that you can’t have… I definitely think Archie has some commitment issues. He has a wandering eye, you know?” There’s “a deep love” between Betty and Archie, she admits, but “I just don’t necessarily think it’s romantic.”
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As for Betty and Jughead, Reinhart insists they’re still a “solid duo” in Season 2, despite all the challenges thrown their way, from Jughead’s new Southside Serpent status to the strong objections from Betty’s mom Alice. Reinhart points to Betty blackmailing Cheryl into defending Jughead’s dad in court as a sign of “Bughead’s” resilience: “[She] did what she had to do for her man, you know? I think Betty’s willing to put herself out on a limb, and put herself in some uncomfortable situations, in order to show her support for him.”
So was that bit of “fun girl talk” between Betty and Cheryl a sign that “Dark Betty” is back? Reinhart doesn’t think so: “It’s not really ‘Dark Betty.’ It’s more of just like ‘Assertive Betty’… She needs to put on her boss-ass woman pants and step into the role of being a strong and assertive woman. She’s a warrior for her friends.” But that doesn’t mean we won’t get an encore appearance this season from “Dark Betty”… or her signature jet-black wig. “You may see it again,” Reinhart says with a laugh. “I think she still has it in the back of her closet somewhere.”
Speaking of closets: There’s a big old skeleton hanging in Alice’s, in the form of Chic — Betty’s long-lost brother that Alice gave up for adoption years ago. We know Hart Denton (seen at right) is joining the cast later this season as Chic, and Reinhart hints that Chic’s arrival “definitely has a strong impact on the Cooper family,” adding that it “causes some drastic changes in dynamics within the Cooper family itself.”
Meanwhile, there’s a serial killer on the loose, making Season 2 feel like a horror movie at times — and Reinhart says that’s by design. “We’re treating this season very much like a dark thriller,” she says. “Even when we’re all having conversations as a friend group in the student lounge, or at Pop’s, there’s kind of an air of doom and gloom hanging over our heads.” She’s not too worried about Betty being the Black Hood’s next victim, though: “I think Betty’s safe. But you never know. Something could happen to any of us.”
Ratings for Riverdale (airing Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW) are through the roof — the Season 2 premiere doubled last season’s average — and Reinhart credits that to people discovering the show on Netflix: “The minute we went on Netflix, things kind of changed for us.” She and the rest of the cast are “thrilled” at the fan response, she adds: “It’s exciting that people are so invested in the show that they don’t even want to wait until it’s on Netflix. They’re actually watching live TV!”
OK, Riverdale fans: Do you still think a Betty/Archie romance is a possibility? Cast your vote in the comments.
