Meet ‘Riverdale’s New Reggie: Who is Charles Melton?

Archie’s longtime rival will look a little different when walking the halls of Riverdale High in season two of The CW’s Riverdale. As previously reported, Reggie’s original portrayer, Ross Butler, exited the series due to scheduling conflicts earlier this month. Now, TVLine is reporting that Charles Melton will be taking over the role when the show returns for its sophomore run. Who is Charles Melton and where have you seen him before? We’re here to help.

Charles Melton was born in Juneau, Alaska on January 4, 1991 and primarily raised in Manhattan, Kansas. It was here that Melton played college football for two years at Kansas State University – a career that was cut short after suffering three concussions. Soon after, Charles began a modeling career after being discovered at a showcase in Orlando, Florida.

Melton has numerous modeling credits to his name – appearing in publications like Prestige Hong Kong, NewsWeek, and Out Magazine, modeling for brands such as Dolce & Gabbana (his first ever modeling gig), Calvin Klein, and Kenneth Cole. Charles made his first runway appearance at New York Fashion Week back in 2012 during Parke & Ronen’s S/S 2013 show.

In addition to his modeling work, Charles Melton has previously dipped his toes into acting. Per IMDB, Charles has two acting credits to his name – both on Ryan Murphy series. American Horror Story: Hotel fans will recognize Melton from his role as Mr. Wu, one of Agnetha’s victims who appeared in the episodes Room 33 and Be Our Guest. Melton also briefly appeared on Glee back in 2014 as model Gavin in the episode “New New York”.

Now, Charles Melton will get a chance to flex both his acting chops and his actual muscles on Riverdale when Reggie returns in season two. Welcome to Riverdale, Charles!