When Kelly Ripa said that joining the Riverdale cast was “family affair,” she meant it quite literally. The morning show host just announced that she will play the mistress of her real-life husband on the hit CW show.
Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos, plays the role of Hiram Lodge, the shady businessman behind Lodge Industries and the father of Veronica, played by Camila Mendes. Ripa's role is surprising considering this week's episode will focus on Hiram he met his current wife, Hermione.
The name of Ripa’s character is Mrs. Mulwray, a “confident and tough” woman who gets pulled into the town’s drama. While much isn't known about the new character, CW revealed a some information in a statement to US Weekly: "She’s a beautiful, icy, femme fatale who gets caught up in a conspiracy that’s much bigger than she initially realized.” On Instagram, Ripa joked that she's finally nabbed her dream role: “23 years of auditioning for the role I was born to play."
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
This isn’t the first time Consuelos’ family will join him on the show. He and Ripa’s oldest son, Michael, is set to appear in Wednesday night's episode as a younger version of Hiram. This episode will likely answer fan questions about how young Hiram (Consuelos) and young Hermione (also played be Mendes, because, Riverdale) ended up together in the first place.
Last year, Ripa said the series is one of the few that she and her kids watch together. “I wish you could watch Riverdale with my 16-year-old daughter who’s finally like, ‘I cannot believe Dad is on a show that I actually watch,'” she said. Looks like they have one more reason to watch together.
The third season of Riverdale is currently airing on the CW.