On the Scene: The Cast of "Katy Keene" On What to Expect from the "Riverdale" Spinoff

The highly-anticipated CW teen drama Katy Keene premiered its pilot at the Tribeca TV Festival on Saturday. Set roughly five years into the future from Riverdale, this new hit series features a truly ensemble cast of characters. Meet your new favorite cast of Katy Keene!

Lucy Hale as Katy Keene

Lucy Hale plays lead character Katy Keene

The Knockturnal: What drew you to Katy Keene?

Lucy Hale: When I read the script I just fell in love with these characters and how strong they all are. I saw so much of myself in Katy and in her story because I once was a struggling artist. Being an actor, I moved to L.A. really young with no money and was just auditioning over and over again. I feel their struggle when I read this script. I just love the bond between these friends and I love that Katy is just so optimistic and always sees the glass half full and is very loyal to a fault. I love the love story between [Katy’s boyfriend] K.O. and Katy. I had a smile the whole time I was reading it. It was a really fun show to make.

The Knockturnal: How is it now being part of the Greg Berlanti family? I know this is your third show with CW overall.

Lucy Hale: I keep knocking on the CW’s door and they keep welcoming me with open arms! Greg is amazing. It’s my first show with him and obviously he’s had massive success. CW is amazing. They’ve been so good to me and they keep giving me the chance to play amazing characters. I’m honored to be in the presence of [executive producers] Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Michael Grassi. They’re incredible. I’m just very grateful all around.

The Knockturnal: What was one of your favorite parts of filming in New York?

Lucy Hale: We start officially filming the season on Monday but shooting the ending scene of the pilot, we were shooting in the Lower East Side at 3am on a Friday and I realized fully that I was in New York. People were yelling, they were mad we were filming, people were throwing stuff in the scene, and I was like “alright, this is what it’s going to be like.”

Zane Holtz as K.O. Kelly

Zane Holtz as K.O. Kelly

The Knockturnal: Tell me a little about your role.

Zane Holtz: I’m an aspiring boxer and Katy Keene’s longtime boyfriend. Boxing is kind of a like a dream for K.O., just like all the other characters have this large aspirational goal that they’re trying to reach and make happen. They’re not typical dreams; everybody is either an artist or a singer or an actress or a fashion designer or an athlete, things that are big goals. So to watch him on that path and to watch him with his friends and to watch him with Katy, their two dreams are going to kind of collide and maybe somebody is successful first. It’s going to be cool.

The Knockturnal: What was one of your favorite thing shooting in New York for the pilot?

Zane Holtz: It was incredible. To have the opportunity to live here in the city and having an awesome job and being able to shoot outside and really showing New York on camera is incredible. Doing the pilot, we have a scene where we shot outside of a pizza scene at night and it felt so authentic. It was incredible.

Lucien Laviscount as Alexander Cabot

Lucien Laviscount as Alexander Cabot

The Knockturnal: Can you tell me a little about your role and what immediately drew you to it?

Lucien Laviscount: So Alexander Cabot III, he’s the heir of the Cabot dynasty and media company. He’s got a sister, Alexandra, who is very, very much business-driven whereas Alexander, he’s about soul, he’s about heart, the arts, he’s about making music. He’s all about making his own legacy within the legacy he was born into. He’s a dreamer and he’s got ambition and he wants to make a difference. He’s full of love. That’s what drew me to it– he’s someone who doesn’t have to wake up but he’s still got a dream and he’s fighting for it. He’s fighting for something that’s so deep inside him. He’s just a cool cat.

The Knockturnal: It seems like a really ensemble cast and that there’s a lot of love there. So can you share one of your favorite moments on set?

Lucien Laviscount: One of my favorite moments had to be: I just got into town last week so I had an American phone number that no one else had, and I called Jonny [Beauchamp] pretending to be someone from the production office saying “sorry, you’re not going to be able to film for this particular reason” and I had him going for about a good 10, 15 minutes. And the panic this man had on the phone– I had to call him back after that and just say I’m sorry because I think I had him sweating and maybe crying.

Lucien Laviscount (left) and Zane Holtz at the Tribeca TV Festival

The Knockturnal: How does it feel to be a part of the Greg Berlanti CW family?

Lucien Laviscount: He is just someone that has been breaking boundaries from day one with that kiss [on Dawson’s Creek], I think it was the first gay marriage on TV…There’s so many different things that he’s managed to bring, both barriers that he’s broken down to have the most TV shows on air. He’s amazing so I just feel like I’m in the safest hands, especially with these guys, everyone is amazing. Our writers on the show are incredible. I just hope that I live up to it.

Camille Hyde as Alexandra Cabot

Camille Hyde as Alexandra Cabot

The Knockturnal: Can you tell me a little about your character and what drew you to the role?

Camille Hyde: Alexandra is the daughter of a huge multi-billionaire. She spends $100,000 on face care every month, very relatable! She plays kind of the antagonist character throughout the first season. She is the sister of Alexander as well who has a thing for Josie and tries to bring her into the family industry through music, and I quickly shut that down and the drama ensues between Alexandra and Josie and her brother. Throughout the first season you just see a lot of clashing between them, and you’ll also see why she’s the way that she is and why she may not be that bad of a human after all, but usually it takes a while for people to see the under layers of an antagonist.

The Knockturnal: What was it like filming in New York?

Camile Hyde: It was so quintessential. We had a month to film the pilot and the whole month we were living in the Lower East Side in the hustle and bustle of New York next to Katz’s Delicattessen where they filmed “Where Harry Met Sally.” I was just surrounded by all these landmarks and all these film locations that I have been gloating after my entire life and now we’re here shooting for who knows how long in one of the most special, eccentric cities in the entire world. I’m inspired every time I wake up here. It’s such a great feeling.

Camille Hyde at the Tribeca TV Festival

The Knockturnal: What is one of your favorite things to do in New York when you’re not filming?

Camille Hyde: Oh my gosh, it’s walking in Central Park alone, eating a warm pretzel with mustard and listening to something in my headphones and watching people be happy.

The Knockturnal: What do you normally listen to?

Camille Hyde: I listen to so many things. Right now I’m really into ODESZA. I’m a very, very loyal old time Jonas Brothers fan. I was 12 when I met them for the first time. I’m flying back to L.A. to see them in October. I’ve seen them 14 times!

The Knockturnal: Maybe they’ll show up on “Katy Keene” at some point?

Camille Hyde: I’m going to say something to the producers. I know they’re all married….I’m also a huge fan of Chance the Rapper, Lana Del Rey who just dropped a really cool album, Claro is a really cool kind of vibe-y girl. I have a really wide range of music preferences.

The Knockturnal: Do you get to sing at all on the show?

Camille Hyde: Maybe, everyone will have to see later on in the season!

Jonny Beauchamp as Jorge Lopez

Jonny Beauchamp as Jorge Lopez

The Knockturnal: What drew you to the role?

Jonny Beauchamp: Let me tell you: I got the script and I freaked out. i’ve never really seen myself on the page before. I play a lot of character who aren’t like me at all which I love– I’m an actor, we like to play other people. But this has been such a challenge because I really have to be present and be myself. I’m a Puerto Rican boy from uptown New York who had big Broadway dreams. I’ve definitely done drag before and I’ve felt some consequences from that but also really big pros from that so I think Jorge’s journey is to constantly stay true to himself and I’m trying to do that too. It’s been really special.

The Knockturnal: Did this role then make you learn more about yourself while filming?

Jonny Beauchamp: Absolutely. I saw so much of myself, when I was a little bit younger really making the rounds and trying to go out for Broadway and stuff and just being told “no, no, no.” I’m not big enough or I’m not tall enough or I’m not strong enough or I’m not straight enough. It’s been really amazing with this wonderful job because hindsight is always 20/20, isn’t it?

The Knockturnal: I can already tell your character is going to be this beacon for a lot of people who can identify with him. What would you say to people who have similar aspirations?

Jonny Beauchamp: I would say do your research and make sure you’re prepared because luck is opportunity meeting preparation so if you’re ready all the time, if your voice is in top notch shape all the time, if you can dance, when that opportunity presents itself– and it will– you’ll be ready.

Katherine LaNasa as Gloria Grandbilt

Katherine LaNasa as Gloria Grandbilt

The Knockturnal: Tell us about Gloria.

Katherine LaNasa: Gloria Grandbilt is Katy’s boss at Lacy’s Department store which is sort of this timeless fantasy New York department store like Bergdorf’s. She takes herself pretty seriously like Anna Wintour, which I find really funny and that’s what drew me to her. I really love characters that takes themselves very seriously. I find it particularly hilarious, and I just thought it was delightful.

The Knockturnal: Will this be a mentorship relationship between Gloria and Katy or is it going to be more butting heads? Or both?

Katherine LaNasa: It’s a little bit of a mentorship and also a little bit of an adversary. I think she’s a little threatened and a little jealous of Katy but at the same time sees her talent and wants to foster her.

The Knockturnal: The show already has kind of been hailed as a lighter version of New York, especially compared to the counterpart of “Riverdale” which is so dark and grim. How do you think the city is portrayed in “Katy Keene”?

Katherine LaNasa: It’s a fantasy New York, it’s sort of like Sex and the City or Marvelous Ms. Maisel where New York is just so beautiful and it’s such a beautiful character in the piece. I kind of feel like it’s a little Marvelous Ms. Maisel meets Fame with some Sex and the City thrown into that. If Marvelous Ms. Maisel and Fame had a baby, it would be Katy Keene.

Katy Keene premieres 2020 on the CW!

Archie comics comic books CW katy keene pilot premiere riverdale Tribeca TV Festival TV

On the Scene: The Cast of “Katy Keene” On What to Expect from the “Riverdale” Spinoff

Lucy Hale as Katy Keene

Zane Holtz as K.O. Kelly

Lucien Laviscount as Alexander Cabot

Camille Hyde as Alexandra Cabot

Jonny Beauchamp as Jorge Lopez

Katherine LaNasa as Gloria Grandbilt

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