Netflix today announced that Kiernan Shipka will play Sabrina Spellman in its upcoming series adaptation of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comics. Shipka’s resume includes work on both Mad Men and Feud: Bette and Joan.
Sabrina Spellman is the half-witch, half-human focus of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic series, whose forays with magic are punctuated by the realities of teenage life. The series will find Sabrina just beginning her work in the dark arts, all while attending Baxter High. Shipka’s portrayal of Sabrina will skew darker than what some fans are used to.
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“We’re all such huge fans of Kiernan’s work that when we started talking about who this new incarnation of Sabrina could be, her name was on everyone’s wish list,” Executive Producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said in a press release. “This is a darker, more macabre version of Sabrina, and we’re incredibly excited for people to see Kiernan make this iconic character her own.”
Shipka’s casting may come as a surprise, as previous audition tapes hinted that Netflix might be looking to cast an Asian-American actor for the role. The series, which started as a CW show to complement the network’s other Archie Comic adaptation, Riverdale, has been approved for a 20-episode run at Netflix.