Riverdale Star Skeet Ulrich Says He's Leaving the Show Because He's "Bored Creatively"

Riverdale fans were shocked to learn earlier this year that Skeet Ulrich, who plays F.P. Jones in [...]

By Patrick Cavanaugh

Riverdale fans were shocked to learn earlier this year that Skeet Ulrich, who plays F.P. Jones in the adaptation of Archie Comics, won't be returning for the fifth season of the series, with the actor recently revealing that he got "bored creatively" with the series and this motivated his decision to leave. Since the series' debut, its core cast has remained involved, but with the characters exiting high school, fans have wondered how it would compensate for characters potentially leaving the titular town. Marisol Nichols also announced earlier this year that it will be her last season, who has played Hermione Lodge in all four seasons.

"I'm leaving Riverdale because I got bored creatively," Ulrich shared on Instagram live. "How's that? It's the most honest answer."

The beloved cast member leaving the show is surely disappointing news, especially given how its following has only grown more passionate over the years. Given the dramatic nature of the series and some of the tragic fates its characters have suffered, some have wondered if this meant that these characters will meet their demise this season, but creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa previously confirmed that this won't be the case, potentially allowing them to return to the series at some point in the future.

"I've talked to all the actors and I called Marisol and Skeet and I said, 'You know guys, obviously we still want to finish the stories we started in the season,'" Aguirre-Sacasa explained to Entertainment Weekly. "And both of them were like, 'Of course, let's do it.' And again, neither Hermione nor F.P., this isn't a spoiler, but they're not dying. My hope is to have them be a part of Riverdale for as long as Riverdale continues."

Complicating matters further with the series is that the coronavirus pandemic prevented the fourth season from shooting its intended conclusion, with the upcoming Season Five set to include some of the seminal events this past season was building towards.

"We had written episodes 20, 21, and 22 and when we talked about Season Five and some of the big events like prom and graduation, it would feel like a cheat if we somehow didn't do those," Aguirre-Sacasa confessed. "So we're essentially starting the season with the last three episodes of Season Four, and partly because they're dynamite episodes. I mean big, big, big changes happen. We are continuing the mystery and the relationship drama straight into Season Five."

Stay tuned for details on the future of Riverdale.

Are you hoping Ulrich could return to the series in the future? Let us know in the comments below!

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