Riverdale spinoff Katy Keene has made its first casting move by bringing aboard Riverdale actress Ashleigh Murray in a leading role. She’ll continue playing aspiring musician Josie McCoy in the series, which will age her character up several years since its events occur years after Riverdale. Should Katy Keene be ordered to series by The CW, Murray would then leave Riverdale and concentrate on the spinoff full time.
Described as a musical dramedy, Katy Keene follows Veronica’s 20-something fashionista cousin Katy and her aspiring artist friends in New York City as they try to make it on Broadway, on the runway, and in the recording studio. This marks the second spinoff of Riverdale, joining Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which was previously in development at The CW before the streamer gave it a two-season order. Katy Keene hails from Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Michael Grassi.
Katy Keene is part of a pilot slate for The CW that’s heavy on spinoffs and series adaptations of pre-existing intellectual property. It joins Jane the Virgin spinoff Jane the Novela, new takes on The Lost Boys and Nancy Drew, and Glamorous, a drama centering on a gender non-conforming YouTube vlogger.
In addition to her role on the CW drama, Murray’s television credits include Younger, Alex, Inc., and The Following.
