Marc Hom/The CW (LOS ANGELES) — Two weeks after Luke Perry’s untimely death from a stroke at age 52, Riverdale‘s executive producer says the actor’s death will be addressed on the show. They’re just not yet quite certain how.
At an Academy of Television Arts & Sciences event for the CW’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in Los Angeles on Sunday, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa told Entertainment Tonight, “You know, honestly, we are I think all still in shock and are all still processing and grieving. We know that we have to address it in some way, but we’re giving ourselves a little bit of time and space before we figure out the best way to honor him.”
Perry played Archie’s father, Fred Andrews, on Riverdale.
“Luke was, is, and will always be a big part of Riverdale,” says Aguirre-Sacasa. “We’re kind of a family and when a loss like this happens, you carry it always. It changes and it hopefully becomes a little less painful as time goes by, but you’re changed.”
“When I was with the crew, I said, ‘It will never be the same,’ and that’s true because Luke was such a part of the show,” he continued. “There are still a few more episodes that have Luke in them, so we’re glad to share those.”
Adds Aguirre-Sacasa, “His spirit — which was so generous and wise and vivacious — we hope will infuse every episode, so in my mind, every episode for the rest of time on Riverdale will have a bit of Luke in it.”
Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.
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