Bringing His A-Game
“Riverdale” star Charles Melton chats with DAMAN about his upcoming movie and the show that put him on the map
“Riverdale” star Charles Melton chats with DAMAN about his upcoming movie and the show that put him on the map Photography Mitchell Nguyen McCormack
Some actors build up their career one small role at a time until they really make it big; others burst into the scene with a huge role right off the bat. then there’s a third type, the ones who start off small—an uncredited part here, a short movie there, maybe a role as “Bystander A” in a big movie—but after only a handful of unremarkable gigs they find themselves front and center in film projects that turn out to be widely popular.
Charles Melton is, arguably, a shining example of the “diamonds in the rough” that make up the third group. Or, at least, he used to be, since he’s definitely playing in the big leagues now.
Melton’s early career is, at first glance, rather unexceptional: Several short films and a couple of minor roles in tv shows—although those two were “glee” and “American horror Story.” his big break came when he was chosen as the replacement for Ross Butler who played Reggie Mantle in “Riverdale.” his portrayal of the protagonist’s so-called frenemy proved to be quite popular with fans of the show. unsurprisingly, he became a regular part of the cast in the third season, which is currently running.
At this point, Melton’s story already paints him as a popular rising star making it big in one of the most popular tv shows currently airing. But that’s not all. Apparently, he’s also cast as the male lead in “the Sun is Also a Star,” the upcoming big screen adaptation of the acclaimed novel of the same name by Nicola yoon. it might sound a bit like a classic love story—chance brings together boy and girl with totally opposing worldviews, boy and girl fall in love but will have to separate in the end—but there is, more importantly, a very relevant conversation about topics like race and immigration blended into the tale. With a marked increase in films attempting to tackle real social issues, it’s certainly interesting to see what “the Sun is Also a Star” can add to the discourse—and how Melton’s performance will sell that message.
Daman: Hi, Charles. Thank you for making the time for us today. How are you? Charles melton:
i’m doing great, thanks. i’m about to catch a flight to New york, which also happens to be one of my favorite cities.
Da: So, we visited your instagram account recently where we learned about your upcoming movie: “The Sun is also a Star.” How did filming go for you? Cm:
Filming “the Sun is Also a Star” was a dream come true for me. We shot the movie over the course of eight weeks in New york, and it was an experience i will cherish forever.
Da: Can you tell us a bit about how you first got tapped to play in the movie? Cm:
Nicola yoon, the author of “the Sun is Also a Star,” posted an announcement on social media asking who should play the role of Daniel Bae. the next morning, i woke up to hundreds of notifications and tags to the post. i immediately called my reps to try and get my hands on the script and read the book in two days. ten months later, i finally got to read the script and had a chemistry read with yara Shahidi. And i got the part.
Da: all in all, what is it that makes “The Sun is also a Star” different from your typical romance flick? Cm:
One of the things that drew me to “the Sun is Also a Star” is that it parallels one my favorite films, “Before Sunrise,” in which two strangers get to know each other over the course of a day. yara plays my love interest, Natasha, who is completely cynical and doesn’t believe in love. And i play Daniel, who is a hopeless romantic. the film has a unique way of showing how they both start developing feelings for each other.
Da: now, despite being a love story at heart, “The Sun is also a Star” also touches on subjects like racism and immigration. What are your thoughts on how the movie deals with those issues? Cm:
i think the film humanizes the struggle of the immigrant. even though they come from such different backgrounds, Natasha and Daniel share the common goal of pursing the American dream.
“I THINK THE FILM [‘THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR’] HUMANIZES THE STRUGGLE OF THE IMMIGRANT”