Athree-time American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Award nominee, Marisol Nichols, is back on primetime television in CW’s Riverdale. The series is based on characters from the Archie comic book series. Now in its second season, the show has already won seven awards at the Teen Choice Awards. Nichols plays upscale mother Hermione Lodge, who along with her daughter Veronica, returns to Riverdale to start afresh following the scandalous incarceration of her husband, Veronica’s father. According to Nichols:
“I’ve played a lot of characters on many shows but none quite as complex as Hermione Lodge. She is both heroine and villain and tends to live in the grey area in-between. It’s a challenge I loved accepting and hopefully am rising to the occasion. You don't always know what you get with Hermione Lodge and I love the mystery that surrounds her.”
Nichols, along with her daughter and pets now resides in Canada where the cast and crew of Riverdale films for 9 months of the year. This change in location from California is something she is used to and has adapted well to in her nearly 25 years of acting. She has always firmly believed that you are in charge of your own life and you decide which way it is going to go by deciding how to react to life changes.
“I never believed in adjusting yourself to your environment. I believe in adjusting the environment to yourself.”
Staying true to this statement is one of the reasons Nichols excels on and off the screen. She never lets “life” steer her off in directions other than her dreams and the things about which she is passionate. She has served as producer for various shows and films, as well as being the founder of the non-profit Foundation for a Slavery Free World. When Nichols first started hearing about human trafficking and child sex:
“I could not and did not want to believe that it was real; that this was happening all over including the United States.”
The more she learned about this modern-day slavery, the less she slept. It was something she couldn’t live with, knowing there was a child somewhere living with this reality.
“It is completely unfair that anyone would have to live like this. So, to be honest, I didn’t have a choice. It was the only way I could put my head on my pillow at night knowing I was doing something to help.”
She partnered with government, law enforcement, and other non-profits in the fight to end modern day slavery affecting an estimated 35.8 million men, women and children who are trapped. For the third year in a row, Nichols has also hosted and produced The Human Rights Hero Awards, aimed at recognizing organizations and individuals who are doing heroic work in the field of modern slavery. Her diverse impact on the world, on screen and through her foundation efforts, is what is gearing Nichols up to be one of Hollywood’s leading ladies.
Nichols’ biggest piece of advice to her fans is to develop your talents and skills and own it.
“If you learn as much as you can, you can take what works for you and make it yours, then discard the rest. Stay true to yourself and you’ll get there.”
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Jodelle Maglaya
- Photography
- Alissa Pagels
- Styling
- Jen Ublasi
- Makeup Artist
- Josephine Okolo
- Hair Stylist
- Jackie Scogna
