Mark Consuelos Steals the Show on Riverdale
Back in 2017 viewers were introduced to Riverdale, the CW network’s take on the classic Archie comics. In the switch from comics to live action, viewers also became introduced to new versions of several classic characters, changing the pace from the typical Archie brand. One such change came in the form of the Lodges with the CW casting the notoriously wealthy family as Latinos. Camila Mendes, an actress of Brazilian descent plays Veronica Lodge and Marisol Nichols plays her mother, Hermione. For the entirety of the first season, the name “Hiram Lodge” seemed to be on everyone’s lips but we didn’t have a face to match the name. With the intense suspense around this character created, actor Mark Consuelos had big shoes to fill when he tackled the role in season two.
Part of this challenge came because this role was so unlike Consuelos’ other projects. The actor was arguably most known for his role on the American soap opera, All My Children where he played Mateo Santos. It was on All My Children that he met his now wife, Kelly Ripa and together, the two have remained in the spotlight through various projects. Consuelos’ charisma and charm translated extremely well onto the screen and the character quickly became a fan favorite, earning the actor multiple Daytime related awards for his performance.
Clearly, it’s a stark contrast from the role he’s playing now. Veronica Lodge is one of the series’ main heroines and Hiram serves as the main antagonist. While season one’s villain, Clifford Blossom, was quickly dispatched of, Hiram continues to scheme, becoming more and more of a serious threat for the main characters with every passing episode. Although he’s nothing like his onscreen counterpart, Consuelos is able to effortlessly play the part, showcasing his immense talent as an actor. Hiram is intimidating, cunning and times even funny, operating as one of the show’s biggest scene stealers.
His popularity among fans is unquestionable as well. In 2018, he won the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Villain for his performance as Hiram. Consuelos and Ripa’s son, Michael appeared in an episode to play a young Hiram and Ripa herself is slated to join the show soon as well, playing Hiram’s lover. With all of this development that seems to be planned for Hiram’s character in season three, it seems like Riverdale writers have realized that they’ve got some great talent in their hands. Here’s hoping we get to see even more of Consuelos (and Hiram) in the future.
What do you think? Are you loving Hiram Lodge as much as we are? Let us know in the comments below!
