Rachael Leigh Cook Wants ‘Riverdale’ Role, Talks Josie And The Pussycats Differences

Though now a Hallmark Channel fan-favorite, Rachael Leigh Cook jumpstarted her career with teen movies like “She’s All That” in 1999 and “Josie and the Pussycats” in 2001, something she has no desire to forget.

Instead, she celebrates it, even attending a record release party for the “Josie” soundtrack last year, which also featured a screening, a reunion with her co-stars Tara Reid (“Melody”) and Rosario Dawson (“Valerie”) and a performance by Kay Hanley, who did all the main vocals in the film. Cook, who starred in the film as Josie, was proud to be a part of the event, she told International Business Times, because it “makes me happy” that so many still enjoy the movie after all these years.

“They called the screening ‘A Night That Vindicated Josie,’ and I couldn’t say it any better,” she told IBT. “I think it’s a cool, under-appreciated movie and that it had the ability to forecast the backlash against corporate culture is pretty remarkable.”

Since the film only made $14 million domestically at the box office, Cook said there was never any talk about a sequel being made, but she’s just glad that the original was created and is “always happy when people say that they’ve seen it.”

Not only did the film acquire a fanbase after its initial release in 2001, and maintain enough of those fans to rightfully be considered a cult classic, but it’s garnered more viewers since The CW premiered “Riverdale” in 2017 because the Archie Comics series features a new version of Josie and the Pussycats.

Two of the members of the new Pussycats, Hayley Law (“Valerie”) and Ashleigh Murray (“Josie”), have expressed their desire to have Cook guest star on the drama, which is something she said she’d love to do.

“I would totally do that,” Cook said. “I hope they told their bosses…because I think that would be a great time. I remember when I was watching the pilot with my husband [actor Daniel Gillies, who stars on The CW’s “The Originals”] and I said, ‘How come I’m not someone’s mom? I’m somebody’s mom in real life, I could be somebody’s mom.’ But then I saw the moms that they cast and I thought, ‘Yeah, they’re killing it.’”

Though she hasn’t seen the entire series yet, despite being “totally addicted,” the actress loved the pilot and “thought it was fantastic,” as were all the actors. The cast wasn’t the only aspect that she loved, though, as she was really “impressed” by how different the show was from her 2001 movie.

“I’m really impressed that, I don’t know if it’s the Archie Comics, or what the parent company is, but when we made the movie they were extremely protective of their brand,” she said. “There were mandates when we were shooting about everything from us having to show that these girls are kind to animals and love animals, so there’s a part in the montage where we’re playing with kittens…and there was also a mandate that we had to be clear that we had good dental hygiene, so we’re brushing our teeth in the montage.”

She continued: “They had really strict rules about it and none of the stuff would’ve involved some of the stuff I saw on ‘Riverdale,’ like kids sleeping with teachers. They’ve clearly embraced change and taken on a different image.”

This fresh take is exciting to Cook, which is one of the reasons why she’d love to be a part of it by having a role on the series. Now it’s just up to the “Riverdale” execs to catch on and then write her the perfect character.

“Riverdale” returns with new episodes Wednesday on The CW at 8 p.m. EST.