Bernadette Peters Cast in The CW's Katy Keene

The CW's Katy Keene is set to give audiences a glamorous and heartfelt take on New York City early next year, and it looks like a Broadway icon will be a part of that. According to a new report from Deadline, Tony-winning actress Bernadette Peters has been cast in the Riverdale spinoff as Ms. Freesia, a mother figure to Pepper Smith (Julia Chan). Ms. Fressia is described as Pepper's "eccentrically elegant surrogate mother and mentor", who taught the young woman "the art of the con". A wealthy Upper East sider who secured her luxurious lifestyle through cunning means, Fressia actively helps Pepper form and maintain her fabulous image.

Peters is known for being nominated for seven Tony Awards, and took home the award for 1986's Song and Dance and 1999's Annie Get Your Gun. On the small screen, the actress has appeared in The Good Fight, Smash, and Ugly Betty. She also has done quite a lot of voice acting, including Rita in Animaniacs.

Peters' role on Katy Keene adds an interesting layer to the show's unique world, especially considering what has already been established about Pepper. The character is described as the name-dropping "It Girl" of the show's inner circle, who dreams of starting her own version of Andy Warhol's Factory.

In addition to Pepper, the show will follow the stories of Katy Keene (Lucy Hale), Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray), and Jorge Lopez (Jonny Beauchamp), as they chase their dreams in New York City. The cast also includes Zane Holtz as K.O. Kelly, Katerine LaNasa as Gloria Grandbilt, and Camille Hyde and Lucien Laviscount as Alexandra and Alexander Cabot.

"It is a watershed moment for the company," Archie CEO John Goldwater previously told ComicBook.com of Katy Keene earlier this year. "We are called Archie Comics, so most people don't realize the breadth and depth of our IP. We literally have hundreds of brands, thousands of characters, obviously some way more well-known than others. Comic book people know Katy but the world at large don't know Katy. And for us to be able to start to mine the depth of our library is a transformative moment for Archie Comics. It's such an exciting moment in time for the company and it's as exciting as when Riverdale first came along. It is that kind of seminal moment."

What do you think of Peters joining the cast of Katy Keene? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Katy Keene is expected to debut sometime in 2020 on The CW.