Madelaine Petsch on Riverdale and How Cheryl Blossom Helped Her Embrace Her Red Hair

Updated on 10/6/2019 at 2:05 PM

Daniel Matallana

Apart from appearing on screen as Riverdale's bombshell queen bee, Madelaine Petsch can also be seen gracing the October cover of Seventeen in a sequined red blazer, matching River Vixen red nail polish, and stacked blue and white winged eyeliner that may or may not be a nod to her onscreen girlfriend, Toni Topaz.

In her interview with Seventeen, the 25-year-old actress revealed that she once considered dyeing her glorious red locks brown — so Cheryl Blossom was almost a brunette, which would basically have changed the entire Jason and Cheryl storyline as we know it. "My mom was like, 'Please don't do that,'" Petsch said, and thankfully she followed her mom's advice.

Before her CW days, Petsch grew up with a love-hate relationship with her hair due to bullying, but she's since learned to embrace her red hair thanks to her role on Riverdale. "I think Cheryl has helped me really love my red hair," she said. "Finally, my hair and I have a great relationship, and when fans tell me they're being bullied, I remind them that the things they're being bullied for now are the things that make them unique. When you get older, those things are going to make you stand out."

In addition to Cheryl's endless confidence, Petsch's female Riverdale costars also inspired her to embrace her natural beauty and helped her to understand that having picture-perfect hair and makeup 24/7 isn't necessary, even in Hollywood. "When I first moved to LA, I thought I always had to have makeup on and look perfect, because what if I ran into a casting director in the grocery store?" she said. "Now, I'm around so many empowering women. We remind each other to be funny and embrace who we are. I don't feel any pressure about being perfect on social media anymore. I'm showing my true self all the time. I'm just being me."

Since being cast as Riverdale's lead River Vixen, Petsch has created her own YouTube channel, where she vlogs about her life and gives fans a sneak peek into who she really is, aka the exact opposite of Cheryl Blossom. "I want them to know that I'm weird and funny and I love people," Petsch said. "If they still have bad assumptions, then that's on them, not on me."

Petsch is also collaborating for a second time with Privé Revaux on a line of sunglasses that are as bold as they are stylish. "I'm very into accessories — jewelry, shoes, bags . . . the works," she said. "I would love to one day get into clothing." As stunning as she always looks on red carpets, we can't wait to see what incredible looks Petsch puts out into the fashion and beauty world next.