Star Madelaine Petsch made her name in the TV arena with her breakout role as Cheryl Blossom in seven seasons of The CW hit, Riverdale. Petsch, who began acting at the age of five, has gained recognition for her works in the horror and mystery genres, starring in films such as Jane and Polaroid. The talented actress will celebrate her 30th birthday on Sunday, August 18, 2024. As she approaches a new milestone, we take a look at her life and career.
Early Life
Madeleine Grobbelaar Petsch was born on August 18, 1994, in Port Orchard, Washington, USA. Raised by South African parents, Michelle and Timothy S. Petsch, the now 30-year-old spent the first decade of her life flying between South Africa and Washington, according to a report in Status magazine published in May 2017. She has an older brother, Shawn Petsch.
She enrolled in dance classes at the tender age of 3, while her first exposure to acting came at the age of five when she joined a theater class. Petsch graduated from the Tacoma School of the Arts in Washington. Later, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.
In 2017, Petsch opened up about her childhood struggles as an outsider in a small Washington town. The TV star told Cosmopolitan that she and her brother were bullied for their red hair and South African accents. The Petsch siblings were also ridiculed for their vegan lifestyle and their stance on religion.
Therefore, Madeleine’s extraordinary childhood did not match well with her American counterparts. “I was the weirdest kid in this little town, so I was made fun of a lot. Stones were thrown at my brother!” the actress revealed at the time.
Elsewhere, Petsch advocates for the vegan community and participates in PETA awareness campaigns.
Hollywood Career
Madelaine Petsch made her TV debut after signing up for Coca-Cola’s national ad campaign in 2014. After that, according to Deadline, she landed the role of Cheryl Blossom in February 2016 and debuted the redhead character once the series began airing early the following year. According to Glamour, she was reportedly signed for the role in late 2015 by a casting director associated with DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.
Riverdale’s premiere in 2017 became an instant hit among young people and put Petsch on the map, who will star as Cheryl for the next seven seasons until the show’s finale in 2023.
Additionally, she made her Hollywood debut in the 2019 horror film Polaroid. She joined the cast of Riverdale as Sarah just months after its premiere.
Petsch is also a social media personality and runs her own YouTube channel to introduce her fans to the “real” Madelaine in addition to her on-screen roles. 2019 also brought disappointment as she was supposed to star in and executive produce Mitzi Peiron’s horror-comedy, St. Clare, but was replaced by Bella Thorne in 2022, according to Deadline.
Over the past few years, the actress has taken on several notable roles that are horror and suspenseful, such as 2020’s Sightless, 2022’s Jane, 2016’s The Curse of Sleeping Beauty, and 2014’s The Hive. Petsch’s romantic comedy films include 2022’s About Fate and Hotel for the Holidays.
Madelaine Petsch recently signed on with the film franchise, Renny Harlin’s The Strangers Trilogy, the first installment of which premieres in theaters on May 17, 2024. The horror mystery comes as the third installment of the original The Strangers film series – The Strangers, released in 2008, and The Strangers: Prey at Night in 2018. Fans will see Petsch leading the plot in The Strangers: Chapter 2, the second installment of Renny Harlin’s trilogy that is set to release in late 2024.
personal life
Petsch reportedly dated rapper Travis Mills, formerly T. Mills, for three years before they split in 2020. Their romance began with a DM from the rapper in 2017 and the two made their relationship very public, which Petsch said she regretted after the breakup, according to Cosmopolitan.
Soon after, the Riverdale star began a romance with Halsey’s music manager Anthony Lee in 2022. She confirmed the rumors with a soft launch Instagram post in November of that year and revealed in August 2023 that they had been dating for a year, according to a report by J-14.
Previously, she was linked with British fencer Miles Chamley-Watson. The rumours sparked after they were spotted together in Vancouver, Canada in March 2021.
The actress has opened up about her mental health struggles following her relationship with T. Mills. She told Flaunt magazine that her mental health was at its “worst” as she dealt with the breakup amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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