Riverdale: Mark Consuelos Talks Hiram Lodge’s Return in “The Crucible” (Exclusive)

Mark Consuelos returned this week on Riverdale with Hiram Lodge paying Veronica a visit in “Chapter One Thirty: The Crucible”. However, Hiram’s visit ends up being far more than just some well-intentioned father-daughter time because, in any timeline, Hiram Lodge is, well, Hiram Lodge. Consuelos’ appearance in “The Crucible” marks his final appearance as the character — who was killed off in the ‘present day’ timeline in Season 6 and the actor spoke with ComicBook.com about getting to play the fan favorite villain one last time as well what it was like playing this specific version of Hiram and more.

Warning: spoilers for this week’s episode of Riverdale, “Chapter One Thirty: The Crucible” beyond this point.

In this week’s episode, Hiram unexpectedly comes to Riverdale to visit Veronica, but as always, he has an ulterior motive. The famous actor is revealed to have been flagged as a communist sympathizer — this is Red Scare 1950s, after all — following what he claims was just an innocent trip to Cuba for cigars and he needs Veronica to lie and say it was really just an innocent father-daughter trip. It turns out, however, that is a lie. Hiram is cheating on Hermione and there is much more to that trip than meets the eye — including that he met with his mistress and he needs Veronica to cover for him not just because of the communist concerns but because of the morality clause connected to his acting career. Veronica ultimately agrees — with stipulations — but it ends up being for naught. The end of the episode sees Hermione arrive after Hiram has left to tell Veronica she’s divorcing him.

 Nicole Drum, ComicBook.com: I’m so excited to see you coming back to Riverdale. It feels like it wouldn’t be the final season if we didn’t get to see Hiram Lodge come back one more time. When did you know that you were going to get to come back?

Mark Consuelos: I got a call from Roberto [Aguirre-Sacasa], I think the season had started already, and I made my… I just accepted the fact that maybe I was the only character to die on Riverdale and not come back. I was like, “Alright, that’s cool.” Everybody that dies comes back over and over and over again. Maybe Hiram’s the exception. He dies and that’s just it. And I was cool with it, but when he called, he had me at, “Would you be interested?” I said, “Absolutely.” I was like, “Yes, yes. The answer is yes.” And he goes, “Don’t you want to hear what the episode’s about?” I’m like, “Sure, you can tell me what the episode’s about, but I would love to come back.”

So yeah, I jumped at the opportunity. It gave the opportunity to say… To see my old friends, to see the sets that I spent days and hours on, and the crew. It was not often that you get to say goodbye twice, so I just thought… I was extremely grateful for the opportunity.

And you get to play almost a slightly different version of him. This season with being set in the fifties, everyone’s a slightly different version of their character, but Hiram is also very much a slightly different version of self, but at the same time, he’s also same old Hiram in a sense. How did you approach this version of Hiram since he is Hiram, but also different Hiram?

Well, I’m glad you noticed a difference. He’s showbiz Hiram, right? So, he’s not this evil megalomaniac businessman where he’s just crushing people. And that’s by nine in the morning. He’s crushed a ton of souls, and he’s just this greedy, powerful man. Now he’s like this showbiz guy, which obviously there’s a lot of ego in that, but he had a bit of a more of a smile on his face, and I thought… I was so happy that I got to play this version of him. But you’re right. At his core, I would say he’s just as manipulative as the prior iteration of Hiram.

We do find out, as you say, he’s still manipulative. We find out that the real reason he’s in town is really because he is suspected of being a communist, and I think this is really interesting because it’s very dead on with the timeframe obviously. The communism scare of that time period, because he’d gone to Cuba and oh, he’s cheating on his wife, and there’s that complicated situation with the morality clause. So much of this season and his predicament in this episode in particular is wrapped up in both this really interesting historical context, but there’s also something very timely going on as well here. Talk to me a little bit about Hiram predicament in this episode, and it almost makes him human in a way that we haven’t really gotten to see him be before except for when he died.

I totally agree. I thought that this was a much more human version of Hiram. And it’s funny, just the historical references that they were making. I was wondering, when I was looking at KJ or at some of the younger casts, I’m like, “Did you guys even study this in history? Because I know I did. I knew all about this.” We took a deep dive in McCarthyism. We took a really deep dive in this and I was a big history buff, so I was fascinated by this moment in history. So that made me smile a little bit, and I think a couple of them answered me, “Did this really happen?” “Yes! People were blackballed.” Desi and Lucy were at the target of this actually. Lucille Ball, namely, which is… I guess their show is fashioned Hiram and Hermione Show is fashioned after that as well.

I don’t know. I thought it was super, super interesting. I thought it was really, really smart the way they tied it together. I thought that some of his downfalls with power and money, they just switched over to him being more of a philander and more of a womanizer. And what that meant to Veronica and having those hard conversations between a father and a daughter when she’s finds out that facade is… Has been shattered or this perfect family… Not that it was a perfect family, but none that she asks him some very, very tough questions and she’s very powerful in the way that she makes him own up and accept to what he’s done wrong.

So, I don’t know. I thought it was extremely relatable in under the melting pot of this communist storyline. There was something really, really human, and really, really relatable to what predicament they were in.

I always love seeing your scene work as Hiram with Veronica. But I also really loved in this episode, we get to see you in the classroom with Veronica and her classmates, and you guys are doing the drama stuff, and you’re particularly given Julian the what for with his monologue and such. I think this is a side that we never really got to see much of in previous seasons, this almost a lighthearted, this funny Hiram who is pushing the envelope a little bit with the kids and basically pointing out to them some of their flaws in a way that is really resonant. I just really loved that scene. You looked like you were having a blast in that classroom scene.

Oh my gosh. We laughed so much. I have not seen what they takes. They actually went with. We did so many different versions of that, and we played with it. Mädchen directed the episode. I said, “What if we did this?” And she said, “What if you do this?” So, I’m delighted. I can’t wait to see what they actually took.

And you’re right. We had a blast doing that scene. And he was such a good sport with me giving him such a hard time. He was such a good sport. But my God, he’s such a… He’s a really good actor.

Yeah, I think Hiram always gave the kids a hard time in the previous seasons, but Abe’s usually met with, “I’m going to kill you if you don’t get this right, or if you don’t do what I say.” Whereas this sitcom actor is giving this kid in class like this serious lesson in acting. It’s hilarious. But he’s given his chance to show what kind of acting prowess Hiram actually has. And I don’t know. We died. We had such a good time filming that. I’m glad it came through.

What was it like getting to work with her as a director? It feels like it’s such a perfect little nugget in this show.

I love Mädchen. She’s such a fine actor. I think that actors that direct oftentimes have such a nice window in to push a few buttons, especially if they have a rapport with the actors and we have a nice rapport. I thought she did an amazing job. I think she’s directed some other episodes as well.

And I think it’s really great that Roberto hired within. I know Robin Givens directed an episode. Nathalie [Boltt] directed an episode or two. I just think it’s really, really cool. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t maybe ask to do one before I left in season five, because it’s such hard work, especially with how many scenes Riverdale an episode of Riverdale has. It’s unlike a lot of other shows. It moves. And they’re on different sets and they’re off and on. They’re off and on location. So, it’s definitely a big feat. And I don’t know, I had such a good time. She did a wonderful job. I hope I get to work with her again in that capacity.

With Riverdale coming to end, this being the final season, as we will eventually look back on Riverdale, because it was such a cultural moment from the moment that TV show arrived up till now. It has said such a cultural impact. I was telling someone the other day, I’m like, “The show’s been on the air long enough that we’re literally seeing people who’ve grown up with this show to an extent.” When you look back on this show, what do you hope its lasting legacy will have been?

I think you described it just beautifully the way it is. It’s something that… It’s a show that people will remember growing up watching. Especially with the core fans that they attracted initially. So, that young group of fans is now seven years older, and they’re young adults now. And who knows where they are in their lives, but they’ll have that cultural reference.

But not just the fans. We got to watch these young kids on the show grow up as well. Cami was just out of college. KJ was 19 years old, or 18 years old when he started. They’re not kids anymore. So, I think that was also a beautiful little lining. You got to see these young actors at the beginnings of their huge careers that they’re all going to have such an amazing careers. I can’t wait to see what they do next. But I am just grateful to have been a small part of such an iconic show. I’ll forever be grateful to have played Hiram Lodge.

People still cross the street when they see me coming. They’re so afraid of him. And I’m like, “I’m the nice guy. I swear I’m not… I’m nothing like this guy.” I understand him because I’m a dad and I would kill for my family. I would kill, but I’m not… I’m not that guy. So, not often do you get to play a character where people cross the street when they see you coming.

All I can say is Long Live Hiram Lodge.

Indeed. Indeed. Long Live Hiram Lodge.

Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.