Kiernan Shipka (Perfectly) Cast as Netflix's 'Sabrina' in 'Riverdale' Spinoff
From Sally Draper to Sabrina Spellman!
"Mad Men" alum Kiernan Shipka, 18, has landed the lead role in Netflix's Sabrina the Teenage Witch series. There's no official title yet, but it's based on the Archie Comics graphic novel "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina."
According to "Riverdale" showrunner -- Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. This Sabrina series was originally seen as a potential companion series for "Riverdale" on The CW before it moved to Netflix.
Here's a description of Kiernan Shipka's character, from Archie Comics:
"An empowered young woman, half-human, half-witch, Sabrina is just beginning her dark education as a sorceress, even as she tries to maintain a normal life as a sophomore at Baxter High. Intelligent, compassionate and brave to the point of recklessness, Sabrina is all that stands between us and the forces of darkness that threaten our world. [...]
Netflix's Untitled Sabrina Project is based on the critically acclaimed CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA graphic novel from Archie Comics written by Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Robert Hack, detailing the compelling and shocking re-imagining of Sabrina the Teenage Witch's occult origins. This dark coming-of-age story deals with horror, the occult, and witchcraft and will see Sabrina struggle to reconcile her dual nature of being half-witch and half-mortal while protecting her family and the world from the forces of evil."
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa issued a statement on the casting:
"We're all such huge fans of Kiernan's work that when we started talking about who this new incarnation of Sabrina could be, her name was on everyone's wish list. This is a darker, more macabre version of Sabrina, and we're incredibly excited for people to see Kiernan make this iconic character her own."
In addition to "Mad Men," you may know Shipka from Lifetime's "Flowers in the Attic" or her role as Bette Davis' teen daughter in "Feud."
Last year, Aguirre-Sacasa teased Sabrina's possible appearance on "Riverdale" to EW:
"Some people don't even know that Sabrina is in the Archie family. There is absolutely a universe where Sabrina pops up in Riverdale or one town over in Greendale. Certainly, the priority is launching Riverdale and making sure that show is as good as it can be and as embraced as we want it to be. I'll just tease that Sabrina has potential with a capital P."
As EW pointed out, Jason Blossom traveled to the Greendale side of the river in the "Riverdale" Season 1 premiere, and Greendale is Sabrina's hometown. Could Kiernan Shipka's Sabrina appear on "Riverdale," before her Netflix run? Time will tell.
Fans were very happy with the casting news, getting Kiernan Shipka's name trending on Friday:
You don't understand how excited you are for this Kiernan Shipka #Sabrina TV series based on the great great great CHILLING ADVENTURES comics. YOU. ARE. THRILLED. pic.twitter.com/y0kuCaXnbP
— Joanna Robinson (@jowrotethis) January 5, 2018
Me: I'm not interested in this Sabrina reboot.
Kiernan Shipka casted
Me: pic.twitter.com/Q3qKaIuxhl— Michael (@thewrongkeys) January 5, 2018
Now that the brilliant Kiernan Shipka is Sabrina for the Riverdale Netflix spin-off, @Immortals_Leigh and I are prepared to write a full season of spec scripts. We can get it done in about three hours with the right enhancements.
— Austin Lugar (@AustinLugar) January 5, 2018
saw Kiernan Shipka's name trending and thought something horrible happened to her but instead she's been cast as Sabrina, WHAT A DREAM???????????? pic.twitter.com/GRfUWSkCSv
— Daicy Torres (@daicydisaster) January 5, 2018
Kiernan Shipka being the new Sabrina Spellman has just made my entire year, and it's only January 5. Kiernan's been killing the TV game since 2007. #SallyDraperForeverpic.twitter.com/GCO3rHd17c
— Avery Thompson (@avery__thompson) January 5, 2018
Me when I found out kiernan shipka was going to play Sabrina: pic.twitter.com/7ciZzRAjuS
— S-WOLF (@girlylegend8) January 5, 2018
so since sabrina spellman is one of my favourite characters in comic and tv history i am EMO over kiernan shipka landing the lead. i probably would have stanned anyone who played sabrina but she is literally like comic sabrina circa the OG run stepping straight off the page
— - ̗̀ jessica ̖́- (@mysarahjanes) January 5, 2018
I had to lie down after I found out that Kiernan Shipka was playing Sabrina even though I was already lying down
— meaning machine (@EricThurm) January 5, 2018
There's no premiere date yet for the Netflix series, and we'll have to wait and see if "Riverdale" introduces her first in some kind of backdoor pilot or whatnot.
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