Here’s How ‘Riverdale’ Will Address Luke Perry’s Absence, According to KJ Apa

The Riverdale showrunners already announced that they’re dedicating all future episodes of The CW series to the late Luke Perry (Fred Andrews), but one question still remains: How will the show address the character’s absence? KJ Apa (Archie Andrews) has some answers.

The 21-year-old actor recently attended an event for his upcoming Netflix movie, The Last Summer, where he discussed his on-screen dad’s tragic passing for the very first time. When asked how Perry’s death will impact the show, Apa teased the return of another character, Mary Andrews (Molly Ringwald).

“We’re definitely gonna obviously have to address it at some point,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “[Possibly] that [means] Molly stepping in as more of an active parent for Archie, but that all depends on the availability of the actors around us. So, you know, we’ll do what we can.”

Perry passed away on March 4 after suffering a massive stroke at age 52. When the news broke, Riverdale temporarily paused production, though the producers never revealed how they’ll address his absence on the show.

While Perry’s final episode aired last week, Apa confirmed that his “legacy” isn’t going anywhere. “His legacy is gonna live on in the lives around him, that he worked with, you know?” he said. “I’m never gonna forget him, and I think it’s still very fresh, and we’re all still dealing with it.”

Us, too, KJ. Us, too. Riverdale airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW.

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