Fans of CW show Riverdale will know that there's never a dull moment on that show. Whether it's Jughead getting beaten within an inch of his life to a bloody pulp, or Cheryl being sent to gay conversion therapy, it's like a rollarcoaster in the fictional town of Riverdale.
However, it seems that the controversy doesn't stop when the cameras are turned off. This became clear when Charles Melton was called out recently for fat-shaming tweets he wrote back in 2012.
The 27-year-old, who took over the role of Reggie Mantle following Ross Butler’s departure at the start of season two, was shamed by fans online when they screen-grabbed a number of comments he had made about overweight people.
"In the 8th grade I told a fat girl, hey you're a big girl!", he wrote in one. "She replied saying tell me something I don't know. I said, well salads taste good".
Another one read: "Man tired of all these girls talking about how skinny the VS models are. #jealousGirls #getYourChunkyAssOnTheTreadmillThen #FedUpTweet".
A third tweet spoke how overweight people shouldn't look at their reflections, saying: "Headed to the gym. Word of wisdom for day...if your fat...don't look in the mirror", while another one he posted said: "Don't tease fat kids, they already have enough on their plates".
After his degrading comments hit the news, the actor apologised for his tweets in a statement. "I’m truly sorry for making inconsiderate comments several years ago and apologize to anyone I hurt," he said. "What I posted and said was immature, offensive and inappropriate. I am ashamed of how I acted and there is no excuse for that behaviour."
He added: "I’m striving to do better and will use this experience to grow, helping others to understand how these types of statements are completely unacceptable."
Despite his apology, it seems unlikely that a lot of Riverdale fans will forgive him for his past mistakes. Hundreds people on social media were outraged when the posts came to light, with many claiming they made them "feel sick".
Twitter user @bellarkinfinity wrote: "Charles Melton disgusts me. I’ve struggled with my body my whole life, and never feeling comfortable with my weight. and just seeing someone I used to support say such awful things so carelessly, not only makes me furious but it makes me feel even more self conscious."
"'It's been six years. He's changed' Lmao," added @ravenreyeskru. "If Charles Melton really changed, He would've apologized and deleted those tweets. He only deleted them. From the videos I've seen with his fans, He's a d**k most of the time."
Nonetheless, others have insisted that Melton's comments took place years ago and he deserves to be forgiven. "These tweets are old. He's grown up since then. Let it go," wrote Twitter user @katerose1124.
Whether the Riverdale star will be pardoned for his offensive comments is yet to be seen, but what we do know is that fans won't be forgetting his fat-shaming anytime soon.
