Reading his cousin乌鸦传媒檚 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 Oliver/Penticton actor is taking on one of pop culture乌鸦传媒檚 most iconic roles in the new series Riverdale playing Moose Mason.

乌鸦传媒淚t was very cool I grew up on (the comics). I knew the comics very well. My cousins had a huge collection of them. It was cool because it乌鸦传媒檚 set in a modern day and it乌鸦传媒檚 a lot darker. Each character has a darker backstory,乌鸦传媒� said Kearsley. 乌鸦传媒淲e got to bring these characters to life in a modern sense, in a different time.乌鸦传媒�

He auditioned for the part last year and found out he landed the role on his birthday, March 10.

乌鸦传媒淭hat was kind of cool, it was exciting,乌鸦传媒� Kearsley said. 乌鸦传媒淚t was great for me because I乌鸦传媒檇 mostly done theatre my whole life. So this is my first big TV project. I was just excited to get in front of the camera, get on set and just keep learning.乌鸦传媒�

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It乌鸦传媒檚 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.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 completely different. Being on set is insane. There乌鸦传媒檚 hundreds and hundreds of people and they乌鸦传媒檙e all doing different jobs. Everyone乌鸦传媒檚 running around, it乌鸦传媒檚 very chaotic actually. Especially for me because I didn乌鸦传媒檛 know about the cameras, lighting, sound all these different things,乌鸦传媒� Kearsley said. 乌鸦传媒淚 got to learn a lot which is good. I got to watch the older actors who have been doing it a long time like Luke Perry and Lochlyn Munro and just spent a lot of time watching and learning it was great.乌鸦传媒�

Playing Moose Mason, a nearly 70-year-old character and possibly the genisis 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.

乌鸦传媒淗is kind of putting a mask on as the jock, as being a jock and being a bully is protecting himself, his insecurities and that kind of stuff. I乌鸦传媒檝e been exploring that side of it,乌鸦传媒� Kearsley said. 乌鸦传媒淚t makes it a bit more three-dimensional than in the comics where he乌鸦传媒檚 just the dumb jock beating people up. There乌鸦传媒檚 some actual life to it, it乌鸦传媒檚 good.乌鸦传媒�

Kearsley said it乌鸦传媒檚 an easy notion to connect to, with most people putting on an outward face which doesn乌鸦传媒檛 always match what乌鸦传媒檚 inside.

The energy on the set of Riverdale, filmed in Vancouver, is fittingly 乌鸦传媒渓ike highschool乌鸦传媒� with many actors just emerging in the industry.

乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 lots of different types of people, lots of different energies, but everyone is very positive and encouraging. It乌鸦传媒檚 like a little family. Everyone wants to work together to make this a great project,乌鸦传媒� Kearsley said. 乌鸦传媒淭he energy is high because it乌鸦传媒檚 a lot of people乌鸦传媒檚 first jobs as well. Everyone is energetic and hungry, excited and amitious.乌鸦传媒�

Being able to watch himself on Netflix is both a surreal experience and a learning opportunity for Kearsley.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 interesting to watch it on Netflix. I get to see when I乌鸦传媒檓 doing badly, I get to see when I do OK and get to improve on that and figure out what I乌鸦传媒檓 going to do differently next time,乌鸦传媒� Kearsley said.

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

After graduation he headed to Hollywood on a dance Scholarship, followed by a three-year training program at the Theatre Of Arts under the direction of James Warwick.

It was a hectic transition, Kearsley compared it to the first time you drive on a U.S. freeway filled with cars and lights and hard to find a sense of direction.

乌鸦传媒淭he first year was insane. The first year there was so much going on. It乌鸦传媒檚 hard to settle into yourself, it乌鸦传媒檚 hard to breathe because there乌鸦传媒檚 so many things coming at you all the time,乌鸦传媒� Kearsley said.

He started finding his focus and was able to attend screenings and actor乌鸦传媒檚 coming to his school to talk allowed him to delve deep into the craft. Kearsley worked with ARK Theatre Company for a couple of years performing in plays. He took two years off acting, as his work visa only allowed him to do theatre he was unable to work in film and TV.

Two years ago Kearsley started focusing on film and getting out to auditions, booking his role on Riverdale a year later. Kearsley is currently in the midst of auditions for pilot season, where TV networks debut their new series and decide on their fall line up.

He is also looking to start his own theatre company in Vancouver this year, with a focus on promoting his M茅tis heritage and the work of other First Nations artists.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e read so many plays in my life that I just want to direct or produce or act in, but I also want to showcase new writers and new actors, especially in the First Nations community because I乌鸦传媒檓 First Nations as well,乌鸦传媒� Kearsley said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檇 like to get some different plays from First Nations writers and produce those. People that wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 normally have the opportunity to put their works up.乌鸦传媒�

The Riverdale series airs on Thursdays on CW, as well episodes are released on Netflix.