Lili Reinhart, KJ Apa & Camila Mendes Were All Originally Turned Down For Their Riverdale Roles

Riverdale almost looked very different.

In a new interview with Coveteur, Lili Reinhart revealed that she was originally turned down for the role of Betty Cooper. And not only that — apparently, K.J. Apa and Camila Mendes were originally turned down, too.

"It did not fall into my lap, and I don't want anyone to think that," Reinhart told Coveteur of her role. "We all worked our asses off, and it was a nationwide search that took months and months of casting. I was lucky enough to be cast as one of them. I was told no at first, and so was Camila, and so was K.J."

It's hard to imagine anyone starring in Riverdale's three main roles other than the stars we know now, so it was smart of the CW to give them another chance to shine.

During the interview, Reinhart also praised her costars, mentioning how close they are off the set.

"There's no telling what's going to happen in the future, but I was just talking to Cole and Cami, who were over watching Game of Thrones, [about how] we're incredibly blessed. That's how I feel about the entire situation and this show being in my life," Reinhart told Coveteur. "I booked this role without knowing that I was going to make 10 new best friends. That's insane, coming from someone who never really had too many best friends to begin with, because of my social anxiety and just the way that I am. This was like a golden ticket. I got a job, and I also got these incredible people in my life."

Hopefully, the Riverdale stars will stay lifelong friends and drink milkshakes together for years to come (ideally, though, not at a place where someone's been shot).