Camila Mendes is opening up about working with ex-boyfriend Charles Melton on Riverdale — and having the added challenge of playing each other’s love interests post-split.
“Obviously, right when [a breakup] happens, it’s hard and it’s emotional,” Mendes, 29, shared during the Monday, February 19, episode of Dax Shepard and Monica Padman’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. “It’s the worst. But it’s hard because the timing of the show. Anytime we started to hook up off set and knew that something was brewing, our characters would start dating. But they didn’t know. No one knew. The writers would just naturally make it happen.”
Mendes and Melton, 33, met during season 2 of Riverdale. Melton was cast as the second version of Reggie Mantle after Ross Butler was unable to return due to other filming obligations. Mendes’ character, Veronica, eventually found herself falling for “new” Reggie in between her relationships with Archie (KJ Apa), and the pair dated on and off during seasons 3 through 6.
Mendes recalled her real-life on-again, off-again relationship with Melton making things more difficult, as their characters would often still be dating even though they had called it quits off screen. Mendes noted that the CW series, known for its racy moments, would sometimes call for steamy makeout sessions between Reggie and Veronica “right after” Mendes and Melton had split.
“We dated for a year and then broke up for about a year and then got back together for about a year,” she explained, crediting the coronavirus pandemic as a “catalyst” for why they gave things another shot. After the show took a long hiatus between seasons 5 and 6, Mendes said that she and Melton both found new love with other partners — but were ultimately drawn back together when they returned to Vancouver, Canada, for filming.
“When we came back we were both in other relationships,” she continued. “But then, naturally, the two of us got out of our own relationships — not knowing the other did. And we’re in lockdown [because of COVID-19], we can’t leave Vancouver. And it’s, like, maybe second times a charm. Maybe this time it will be different.”
The pair mutually called it quits for good ahead of Riverdale’s final season and were able to put their emotions aside and enjoy their final year on the show.
“There was another break between [season 6 and season 7] and when we came back for the last season, there was a definite air of, zen, we’re past it, and we worked together a lot as well but not in a romantic capacity,” she explained, adding that their characters had also split on screen. “It went super smoothly last season. I think the whole last season felt different.”
Mendes said that the cast as a whole “came together” for season 7, knowing it was their last year on set. “It’s like, this is the last time we’re all going to be together in this room,” she said. “Who knows when something like this will happen again.”
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Despite the ups and downs of dating a costar, Mendes found love again when Rudy Mancuso cast her in Prime Video’s Música. The twosome fell for each other while filming the movie — in which Mancuso serves as director, writer and star — and quietly confirmed their romance in November 2022 after production wrapped.
The couple have since shared tidbits of their romance via social media, with Mendes sharing a sweet tribute for Mancuso on Valentine’s Day earlier this month. (Mancuso was previously linked to Maia Mitchell from 2016 to 2022.)
“My valentine 🌹 as soon as he wrapped música, he flew all the way to the UK to support me while filming upgraded. edited all of música remotely from our little hotel room in leeds,” Mendes wrote via Instagram. “He visited me on set almost every day just to give me a kiss and watch me do my thing. i love you @rudymancuso thanks for showing up in the most meaningful ways. lucky to be your valentine 💌.”
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