Your Betty is a really interesting, modern update of the original Archie Comics character. What makes her fit so well in 2018?
She’s modern in the sense that her whole life doesn’t revolve around Archie, as it did in the comics. She’s quite independent and handles things on her own. She’s strong, and she’s fiery. Which I like.
You now have 2 million Twitter followers and over 11 million on Instagram. How do you approach what you post online, and how do you think social media can actually do good?
I think social media is good in the sense that it’s created a big platform for a lot of artists who might not have had an opportunity to be seen, and it’s given us a chance as actors to differentiate ourselves from the characters we play. I live a very different life than Betty, and I feel like if you’re just watching the show and I didn’t have social media, you wouldn’t think I’m as outspoken as I am. So it’s a chance for us to express ourselves in a very personal way that we’re in complete control of. It doesn’t go to an editing room; it’s all directly from our fingertips.
What made you want to use your platform to speak out on mental health and body issues?
I truly can say it was never something I had to stop and consider whether I was comfortable doing or not. I just did it. It didn’t really matter how many followers I had. I’ve always kind of spoken up about stuff like that, and been very open and honest about it.