Reading his cousin’s Archie comics years ago, it would be hard for a young Cody Kearsley to imagine he would be bringing one of those roles to life on TV.

The actor who got his start in the South Okanagan (Penticton and Oliver) is taking on one of pop culture’s most iconic roles in the new series Riverdale playing Moose Mason.

It’s the start of a new career path for him, breaking into the film and TV and building on his theatre background which originated right here in the Okanagan. The transition from theatre to the screen is a big learning curve.

Playing Moose Mason, a nearly 70-year-old character and possibly the genesis of the modern-day jock stereotype, Kearsley is taking on a much different and more in-depth iteration. Mason explores his sexuality and sexual fluidity in the series, while maintaining a jock facade.

The energy on the set of Riverdale, filmed in Vancouver, is fittingly “like highschool” with many actors just emerging in the industry.

Getting his acting start in Oliver/Penticton, Kearsley trained in multiple dance disciplines with Traci Stevenson Bourne and Cheryl Blumke, at the Okanagan Dance School until he graduated in Oliver.  In his Grade 11 year, Kearsley attended Princess Margaret Secondary to play the lead in Lori Grant’s production of Crazy For You then returned to SOSS for his grad year and to play the lead in Alison Podmorow ‘s production of Grease.

Source: Black Press Digital with thanks to Dale Boyd