Everyone's favorite Riverdale supervillain, the ruthless and chiseled Hiram Lodge -- portrayed by Mark Consuelos -- is back in this week's episode, "The Crucible." Last seen being exiled from the city by Archie and the gang in the Season 5 finale, Hiram was allegedly assassinated by a hitman that his daughter, Veronica, hired.
Riverdale rebooted its seventh season by unveiling a new 1955 timeline, which negated Hiram's death. After banishing Veronica to Riverdale, Hiram finally arrives on her doorstep to rekindle their father/daughter bond. But, in true Hiram fashion, he has an ulterior motive. Consuelos recently spoke to CBR about his long-awaited return, how this Hiram stacks up against his future counterpart, the dynamic with Veronica, and the Riverdale fandom.
CBR: How were you pitched Hiram's return? What did that phone call sound like?
Mark Consuelos: It sounded like Roberto [Aguirre-Sacasa] picking up the phone and saying, "Hey, would you be interested in…" And before he could even say anything else, I said, "Of course. Yes." It was literally like that. I said, "Of course, I would love to come back." I know I had my send-off a couple of seasons before that. As seasons went on, I got to tape a couple of phone calls. For Season 6, when Hiram was being chased by hitmen and he was dead, I knew [that] when you die on Riverdale, it only means one thing: That you will definitely reappear. I always held that hope that I would get that phone call. And I did. I loved the new multiverse/flashforward/flashback into the '50s version of Riverdale this past season. I was elated to come back.
Even in this past Riverdale multiverse, there is a core truth to who these characters are. How would you describe this version of Hiram? How much is he still the man everyone loves to hate?
He is still Hiram at his core. I think he is somewhat of a celebrity. He's got a TV show, a sitcom, a la Desi and Lucy. That's a little different [from] this dreadful businessman, who would gobble anything that stands in his way. I would say he has more of a glint in his eye and a little bit more of a smile. But he is just as manipulative, if not more, than the Hiram of prior seasons.
In broad strokes, tease what brings Hiram back to Riverdale.
What he's there for, and the fans will see, is they've been a bit estranged, him and Veronica. He tells her he needs to see her. ''Let the past be the past.'' Hiram just wants to see how she is doing in Riverdale. Veronica is like, ''Are you sure that is why you are here?'' I am sure the fans are like, ''Are you sure that is why you are here?'' His reasoning is that of a father who just wants to see his daughter.
Veronica pushes back against dear old Dad. What do you enjoy about those scenes in this episode, with Veronica and Hiram bantering back and forth?
I love playing with Camila Mendes. Camy is an amazing actress. I love any scene with her. I think this was her first job out of NYU. I came on to this after she had a season under her belt already. I came on in Season 2, obviously. She's such a pro. It felt like I never left. The rhythm was there. I got to work on that old set, the Lodge apartment. It was really wild being back there, albeit in a different era. I would sit on that couch. She would be sitting across from me, and I was like, "How many scenes, how many hours, how many days did we spend in this room?" Then we moved to the office and had a scene there. I had new work to do, obviously, but I couldn't help remembering all those great scenes and moments we had on that set.
Veronica even takes the time to ''introduce'' Hiram to Archie and the gang, so you had scenes with all the cast again.
I did. I did. He is such an ego-maniac, but now he's a showbiz ego-maniac, which I guess is kind of redundant to say. I think he's a little less scary in as much as he's not plotting to kill people or he getting out of jail like when they met him the first time. There's that. It was fun to play with Casey Cott and KJ Apa and Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart and be reintroduced. It wasn't déjà vu, but it was like, "This is really strange, but I'm so glad I am getting to do this."
Once again, Veronica manages to get the upper hand on her father. How annoyed -- or impressed -- do you believe he is with his daughter?
Well, she's her father's daughter. I think impressed, annoyed, proud… All at the same time. He would expect nothing less from her.
What has the role of Hiram and the Riverdale fandom meant to you?
I was extremely grateful to play a small part in such a huge show. Grateful for the storylines that Roberto and the rest of the writers gave me. They always gave me such great stuff to sink my teeth into. Such great stuff to do. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to make these lifelong friends with my castmates. I am watching them get married and have kids, all the stuff I did and have done. I am watching them do it. They are now young adults. They are going to be in their 30s. When I met them, they were in their early 20s. I think KJ was 19, which blows my mind. Obviously, to have met a lot of the fans, just in passing through wherever I go, I know what the show has meant to them. I guess the overarching theme would be I am extremely grateful.
New Episodes of Riverdale air Wednesdays, on The CW.