#Riverdale Showrunner Apologizes to Vanessa Morgan, Promises to Better Honor ‘All of Our Actors and Characters of Color’

Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has responded to Vanessa Morgan’s recent social media posts about the way Black people are portrayed in the media. 

The actress took aim at Riverdale earlier this week, noting that she was the least paid series regular on the series. 

Morgan said on Sunday that she is “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 sidekick non dimensional characters to our white leads. Or only used in the ads for diversity but not actually in the show.”

She went on to address Riverdale directly on Tuesday. 

“Too bad I’m the only black series regular but also paid the least. Girl I could go on for days.”

Morgan also addressed the way Ashleigh Murray was handled on the series before moving to spinoff Katy Keene, saying, “Maybe the show should write for [Josie] like the white characters.”

Fans of the actress took to Twitter to get #hearvanessamorgan trending on the social media platform, leading to Aguirre-Sacasa’s vow to do better. 

“We hear Vanessa. We love Vanessa. She’s right. We’re sorry and we make the same promise to you that we did to her,” his statement reads.

“We will do better to honor her and the character she plays. As well as all of our actors and characters of color.”

He continued,: “CHANGE is happening and will continue to happen. Riverdale will get bigger, not smaller.”

“Riverdale will be part of the movement, not outside it. All of the Riverdale writers made a donation to [Black Lives Matter], but we know where the work must happen for us. In the writers’ room.”

Morgan first appeared on Riverdale Season 2 in the role of Toni Topaz, quickly emerging as a fan-favorite. 

She was subsequently upped to series regular on the series, but fans have wanted the character to get more of a storyline from the get-go. 

#hearvanessamorgan @BLMLA #riverdale ❤️ pic.twitter.com/gnlI8Dh9yz

— RobertoAguirreSacasa (@WriterRAS) June 5, 2020

Riverdale Season 4 was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the series has been renewed for a fifth season. 

Remember you can watch Riverdale online right here via TV Fanatic. 

The series is set to return in January 2021. 

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.