'Riverdale' Star Vanessa Morgan on Bughead Fans
Among Riverdale's standout new characters is Vanessa Morgan’s Toni Topaz. The sarcastic but sweet photographer joined the show as Jughead’s guide to Southside High, which landed her in hot water with hardcore Bughead shippers. Since then she's been given her own unique space on the show, as one of the only featured female Serpents and Jughead’s confidante. Following the show’s sixth episode, "Death Proof," which verbalized Toni’s bisexuality (her character is bisexual in the comics), Morgan spoke to Cosmopolitan.com about exploring sexuality on TV, receiving death threats from Bughead fans, and her favorite character on the show.
Let’s talk about episode six: The show finally confirmed Toni Topaz’s bisexuality through dialogue.
I actually didn’t know they were making Toni bisexual until the press release, but it was something that I knew from the comics. I was so excited when I found out. I find in TV, you don’t see bisexual [characters] a lot. When people see "bisexual," they still confuse it with promiscuity, which is so wrong. So I was so pumped to be the first bisexual on Riverdale and just normalize that for viewers.
Riverdale is known for its intense fandom on social media. You've mentioned getting death threats in your comments sections. Since "Death Proof" aired, how has the show’s fandom reacted? Have people apologized for what you went through earlier?
When everyone was like, "Oh, you’re interfering with Bughead," I already knew that, because my character was actually more into girls, it wasn’t going to be an end-all, ruining Bughead thing. First of all, I think the Black Hood ruined Bughead. But with Toni and Jughead, she wasn’t trying to be deceitful to lure him into the Serpents, to seduce him. They get along as friends, and they had a rough day. They were connecting, and he said he was over Betty, and you know, "we’re" teenagers and hooked up.
I had been through the ringer with Bughead fans, but I’m so relieved that this is finally out there and everybody knows. I’ve been getting a lot of love after this last episode, because now people are like, "Oh, never mind, you’re more into girls, so you’re not a threat to Bughead anymore." That said, sexuality is a spectrum; it doesn't mean my character isn’t also into guys. But the tone has definitely changed. It’s so funny that all the people who were saying "die" are now like, "love you!"
I never took any of the threats too seriously; it just means that the fans are so passionate about the show, that they literally believed that I was Toni and literally believed that I was ruining Bughead’s relationship. I guess it means I’m doing my job.
How have your social media habits changed, if at all, because of Riverdale and its fandom?
I was getting the death threats, and I said it in an interview and it went viral. At first, I was really disturbed, and it did affect me - when people are telling you to kill yourself, you instantly want to argue back, like, "You’re sick." So I have to control responding. Now I’m at the point where I try not to look at it. I try. But my family members have been the ones who’ve told me, "This is good, enjoy it, because you’re doing exactly what you’re hired to do."
The Riverdale fandom is really great about embracing and investigating every new character (and actor) on the show.
Who’s your favorite character?
I adore Cheryl. Of the adults, I love Betty’s mom.
All of my girlfriends love Cheryl. And with Alice, I can’t wait to hear what comes out of her mouth.
Who’s your favorite character?
I say Cheryl. I want all of Cheryl’s wardrobe, too. I’m watching it and wanting to copy some styles.
It seems that you’re really liking Toni’s bubblegum hair. How much input did you have in her style?
It was originally going to be pink clip-ins that they would have ready for me on set. But I really wanted to [use] the wash out. I do a wash out that lasts like, eight washes. They do that every week-and-a-half to two weeks. I’ve asked if they could do more pink, and they said yes, and I’ve been getting pinker and pinker.
Going back to the beginning - Riverdale clearly makes the effort to do more with its representation. How, if at all, have these pushes for visible representation across modern entertainment affected you?
I’m super pumped to be part of a show that’s so diverse. It’s casting characters that every person can relate to - having bisexual and gay characters, all ethnicities. Riverdale is up to date with what is the new world and what is 2017. A lot of shows should follow suit, because there are a lot of shows where they don’t have that. They don’t have anything! Growing up biracial, I didn’t have someone to look up to watching TV or movies. Halle Berry was the closest one who looked like me. I’m happy to see more biracial people on screen, and I’m happy to represent for the little girls who didn’t have someone who looked like me on TV.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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