SDCC 2019: ‘Riverdale’ Casts ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Alum Kerr Smith as Principal Mr. Honey

Riverdale is due to return for a fourth season on The CW, and it appears there will be some fresh faces roaming the halls of Riverdale High. During the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, it was announced that Dawson’s Creek alum Kerr Smith would be joining the cast as Mr. Honey, the new school principal.

Honey, set to be a recurring character on Riverdale, is described as “a bit of a hard-a— who takes a harder line with the students this year, especially with the seniors,” according to PopCulture.com’s sister site, ComicBook.com. The character will debut in the second episode of Season 4, titled “Chapter Fifty-Nine: Fast Times at Riverdale High.”

Viewers may recognize Smith from his roles as Jack McPhee on Dawson’s Creek, and Kyle Brody on Charmed. He also appeared in Life Unexpected, The Fosters, and Agents of SHIELD.

The need for a new principal comes after Mr. Weatherbee (Peter Bryant), the previous principal, seemingly ran off with The Farm in the final episode of Season 3.

Per ComicBook.Com’s reporting, much of Riverdale Season 4 will focus on the happenings inside the high school, despite the show introducing mystery, serial killers and ritual killings to its plot. Those subjects will still be at play, however. Fans are expected to finally learn Jughead Jones’ (Cole Sprouse) fate when the show returns, though that hasn’t been confirmed yet.

“I can’t say anything specifically to that,” showrunner Robert Aguirre-Sacasa said not long after the Season 3 finale, which featured a confusing flash-forward sequence, aired. “all I can say is, I guess things look very dire for Jughead in that scene, for sure.”

Smith won’t be the only fresh face in Season 4 of Riverdale. Shannen Doherty, of Beverly Hills, 90210 fame, will appear in a guest role on the show to honor Luke Perry. Doherty’s casting was announced during Warner Bros. Television Studios’ San Diego Comic-Con panel, as reported by ComicBook.com. Specifics about her role haven’t been revealed, but it’s said to be significant despite a lack of serious screen-time.

Her character will appear in the Riverdale Season 4 premiere, “Chapter Fifty-Eight: In Memoriam.” The episode will focus on Perry’s character, Fred Andrews’, impact on the rest of the Riverdale characters and the show overall.

Doherty’s addition to the cast is a way to honor Perry, who died in early March after suffering a massive stroke. At the time, Riverdale was in production for Season 3. Production was halted briefly before the cast and crew returned to film the final episodes without him.

Aguirre-Sacasa said during SDCC Perry and Doherty were close friends even after 90210 ended, and Perrry had been trying to get her on the show since Season 1.

“They were such good friends, and when we were putting together this tribute episode, we wanted to make it as special as possible, and so we asked Shannen to do a pivotal, super-emotional role,” the executive producer explained. “She read the script and immediately said ‘yes.’ It’s very impactful.”

Riverdale returns to the CW on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.

Stay tuned to PopCulture.com for more from the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con International.