Sabrina came from Greendale to Rivervale -- and not 'Riverdale'? Looks like someone needs to adjust their broomstick's GPS!
Sabrina came from Greendale to Rivervale -- and not Riverdale? Looks like someone needs to adjust their broomstick's GPS!
ET is mapping out everything you need to know about this week's highly anticipated Chilling Adventures of Sabrina crossover with an exclusive interview with the bewitching star herself, Kiernan Shipka.
Before we begin, we're casting a SPOILER ALERT warning to say that if you have not watched the the latest all-new episode of Riverdale, "Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Witching Hour(s)" then you need to travel to hell and back before we can begin.
For everyone else, we're brewing up answers to your biggest questions from that spellbinding (and confusing!) crossover. Plus, could Chilling Adventures of Sabrina be making a comeback?
And what would happen if Sabrina were to share scenes with the entire Riverdale cast? (The Barchie and Varchie fans may not want to hear the answer to that last question...)
All that and so much more in our interview with Shipka in the video above and the article below!
ET: We were so excited to hear that our long-awaited Chilling Adventures of Sabrina / Riverdale crossover was finally happening. What was going on behind the scenes to make this finally be the moment that brought you up to Vancouver on the Riverdale set? Break it down for us.
Kiernan Shipka: Oh my gosh. It was a journey. It felt like it took forever to get there, but basically I was working and schedules aligned at a certain point and we just said, OK, we're going to, we're going to really do this. Let's see how we can work it out and fit it in. And before I knew it, I was on a plane up to Vancouver and it was just like old times. It was wonderful.
Let's talk about the episode. By now everyone has seen your bewitching entrance, but you were in Rivervale — not Riverdale. So is this a true crossover in your mind, Kiernan?
I think so. I think it's a crossover because it's still the show Riverdale. So it should count as a crossover, though I don't think that it's the last, I mean, I hope not. I hope we see her again. I hope this is a taste and I hope it makes people want to see Sabrina actually go to Riverdale. I really think that there's something interesting to be had back in Riverdale. And now that we know that Sabrina's back and she could, I think this was sort of just setting everything up.
It was so much fun to see you and Madelaine Petsch share those few scenes together, but in Rivervale, Cheryl is also someone named Abigail, who is also a witch. It was very interesting, but also very confusing. When you read the script where you like, "I'm sorry, I need a cheat sheet?"
Yeah, it's a lot. It was a lot to process. Like, Roberto, catch me up. What is happening here? So yes, I do think that a simple streamlined Riverdale Sabrina episode could also happen.
We definitely want to see that. Which character did you not get to interact with during this crossover that you would like to share scenes with in another crossover?
I mean, I just was with Mads, which was incredible because we'd never hung out before and I think she's the greatest, so we had so much fun, but I mean, I want a Sabrina and Archie moment. How iconic.
But the last time we talked, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina came to an end. It was an ending that no one saw coming. We had Sabrina trapped in the afterlife with Nick, so it was kind of like a bittersweet ending. But we need to know: Is she still there?
Well, I don't know. I don't think so. Given the fact that she went to Rivervale, I would think that she found her way out. I don't think she'd want to die. I don't think Sabrina's the type of girl that would just die and deal with it. Like, I really do think that there's no chance that she would not find her way out and that Zelda and Hilda and Ambrose and everyone back on planet Earth would -- I don't think they would stand for it. I just don't. I think, they had the funeral because you have to do that sort of thing, but I think after a minute they would all be like, "OK, we're not going to deal with this!" And they would go get her.
It's been a year since The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ended, almost two years since you filmed the series finale, so you've had time to digest it. You've had time to see the fans' reactions to the ending. How are you feeling about it now, having almost two years away from this role?
I mean, I feel great about it. I feel so good about what we did. And I'm still so excited by all the stuff that we did. It felt like every episode was just a marathon that we were sprinting and we did it somehow and I'm so immensely proud of just every everyone in that show and what we were able to accomplish in the time that we had. And as time goes on, my heart just gets bigger and bigger for it. I love Sabrina so much. I always will.
So it doesn't sound like you've closed the chapter on this character. Would you be open to stepping back into Sabrina's witchy shoes again?
Yeah. I mean, I always kind of say that, like, I'll play Sabrina, any chance I get. I think that it always has to be right, and it has to align and it has to be good for the moment, but yeah, I love her. I would be hard-pressed to say, "No," to doing a Sabrina anything.
So for all the fans out there who are pushing for a reunion movie, they can still hold out hope?
Totally. I'm never the one that's green lighting these things. I'm always down. One thing I know about me is I'm perpetually down to reprise Sabrina, Sally, anytime. Say it, I'm there. I was going to other people that have to do more. I'm a yes woman.
It was so great to see you on Riverdale, but it was too short of a crossover! Pitch us what you would like to see next time? In addition to sharing scenes with Archie, if you could come back to Riverdale, what storyline would you like to see for Sabrina?
Romance. I want Sabrina to hook up with someone in Riverdale. Literally.
You didn't have enough from the strong shippers with Harvey or Nick?
[Laughs] I know, but I just love it for her.
Go, Sabrina, go!
I mean, maybe it's selfish. I love Sabrina when she's just living her life. I love her spellcasting. Don't get me wrong. Yeah. But I've done so much of it that I do feel like Sabrina having grounded relational experiences, especially with characters that we already know and love from Riverdale.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Riverdale airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
RELATED CONTENT:
