COD Alumna's Successful Acting Career Leads to 'Riverdale'

News at College of DuPage




By Brian KleemannHaving built a successful career as an actress, Marisol Nichols still credits College
of DuPage for creating a solid foundation.“I received some of the best training of my life on the Forensics Team,” she said.
“It taught me professionalism and how to put in the work. I go into every audition
knowing what to do and I audition off book, without looking at the script. College
of DuPage also taught me how to be a professional audience member, which means being
supportive of whomever is performing, even if it’s a competitor.”Nichols currently plays Hermione Lodge on the hit CW television series “Riverdale,”
which is based on the Archie comics. She describes Hermione as complex, loving and
yet complicated.“I’m always looking for something in a character that I want to play long-term as
well as someone I would want to watch,” she said. “Before auditioning, I wasn’t sure
where I could take Hermione. When I read for the show’s creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa,
he told me what the character was all about and I fell in love with her right there
in the room. It was an ideal audition. I’ve probably been on over 2,000 auditions
and for some roles I’ve gone back five, even six times. They offered me this role
right after I read. I figured I was due for an easy one.” Nichols had never pursued acting before College of DuPage. In fact, she had never
taken a theater class when she saw an audition notice for a COD student production
of “A View From the Bridge.” She dreamed of landing a small part and was surprised
when she was cast in a lead role.That experience fueled her desire to learn more and she joined COD’s Forensics Team.
Under the guidance of Professors Marco Benassi and now-retired ...

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