Vanessa Morgan Talks ‘Quick Turnaround’ From ‘Riverdale’ to New Series ‘Wild Cards’ (Exclusive)

Fresh off playing Toni Topaz on Riverdale, Vanessa Morgan is staying on The CW with new series . The actress plays con woman Max Mitchell, who is forced to team up with Giacomo Gianniotti’s Cole Ellis to solve tough cases while pulling a con or two. Riverdale only aired in August, and Morgan is back on the network only months later.

The actress spoke to PopCulture.com about the transition between the two shows, admitting that she started Wild Cards only a month after Riverdale. “It was such a quick turnaround,” Morgan shared. “I kind of just had to go into a new character study, yet I honestly think it was better not to have that break. It was almost like I just stayed in go, go, go mode. It’s like that survival mode. You just kind of like, ‘Okay, go. What comes next?’ So I feel like it’d be harder if I took the time off and then had the time to mourn Toni in Riverdale and then go into this project, and it might feel a bit harder of a transition. But I think because I didn’t have that time, it actually kind of helped me because when you say goodbye to a show that long and a character you love so much, it is like a death in a way. So you’re like, ‘Wow, I’m never going to play that character again on screen.’”

What also made the transition easier for Morgan was the fact that she was staying on the network she’s called home since 2017. Continuing to work with people she knows on a network with people she’s previously worked for is “all the stuff that made the transition so much easier from being on a show for so long. So I actually preferred it.”

Meanwhile, The CW is not The CW many people may know anymore, as it’s gone from a network filled with steamy teen dramas, the supernatural, and superheroes to a network consisting mostly of unscripted and acquired series and sports, with a dash of original scripted content. While some people think The CW is different now, complete with a name change, Vanessa Morgan thinks it’s still the same old CW she knows and loves with some slight changes made for the better.

“Well, I’m still seeing it myself. For me right now, it still kind of feels like the old CW because there’s still a couple shows in there that I recognize,” Morgan explained. “And I think to me, I just have to see more to really feel the difference. Right now, it still feels like the same old CW that I love. There’s a whole bunch of new shows coming now that are older and seems like an older age range, which is the difference. And I think that’s a really cool choice for them. I’m excited to see how it does and how it goes. I think the network is very happy right now with how things are going. I’m just excited to be a part of the ride and almost start a little project from the beginning and be part of that.”

It’s definitely been exciting to see Vanessa Morgan on The CW still, even beyond Riverdale. She may no longer be playing a Serpent Queen, but a con woman is still one powerful female character. Fans will be able to see more of Morgan on Wild Cards, airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.