‘Riverdale’ Cast on Gun Control, March For Our Lives

I won’t pretend that I’m an expert in politics by any means. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been fully consumed by all the horrifying shooting coverage and the news and images coming out of the recent March For Our Lives. It’s unavoidable, and frankly, I don’t see why or how you could avoid it. The day after March For Our Lives (which I sadly couldn’t attend because I was working), I spoke with the Riverdale cast on a red carpet. It may not have been the most ideal place or time…

But I couldn’t ignore the issue of gun control.

I just couldn’t. It was weighing too heavily on my mind. Even as I was on the carpet, the images of young kids holding signs to beg for the protection and safety of their lives were relentlessly floating around in my head. I can’t imagine having to be in that position at that age. And I was confident that a group of actors, who work on a show about high school kids, would feel the same way.

Watch: Riverdale Cast Reflects on High School

I briefly spoke with Riverdale‘s Cole Sprouse, Camila Mendes, KJ Apa, and Marisol Nichols to see how they felt about what’s been going on. It was especially moving hearing Marisol’s point of view, since she was a nine-year-old daughter.

And Camila took the words right out of my mouth: Gun control affects us all.

It’s reality. And it’s so terrifying, that sometimes I just watch the news and cry, wondering how we got here and if this is real life. I know that issue is complex and deep-rooted in our country’s history. But I also know that nightmares of shootings have woke me in the middle of the night on numerous occasions. I won’t even pretend, god forbid, to understand what the pain of losing a loved one in that situation is like.

The Riverdale folks and I barely had time to scratch the surface of what needs to be done and the different arguments and solutions, but it was nice to hit the carpet and talk about something that matters and that’s this real. Check it out: