Charles Melton

Charles Michael Melton (born January 4, 1991) is an American actor. After working as a fashion model, Melton ventured to acting with guest roles on the television series Glee (2014) and American Horror Story: Hotel (2015–2016). His breakthrough came with his portrayal of Reggie Mantle in the CW series Riverdale (2017–2023).

Melton gained recognition for his leading role in the romance film The Sun Is Also a Star (2019). For his acclaimed portrayal in the drama film May December (2023), Melton earned nominations for a Critics' Choice Movie Award and a Golden Globe Award.

Charles Michael Melton was born on January 4, 1991, in Juneau, Alaska, to Sukyong and Phil Melton. His father is an American with English ancestry; his mother is a Korean immigrant who moved to the United States with Charles's father in 1990. Melton is the eldest child, having two younger sisters. His family moved frequently because his father worked for the military. At one point, the family lived in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, South Korea, for about five years. They eventually settled down in Manhattan, Kansas where Melton graduated from Manhattan High School in 2009. Melton studied at nearby Kansas State University, where he played as a defensive back on the football team under coach Bill Snyder. He dropped out of college at age 20 to pursue acting and moved to Los Angeles, California, in 2012.

He also previously worked as a dog walker on the app Wag.

He was first successful as a model, having booked gigs for Dolce & Gabbana, Kenneth Cole and MAC. His first acting roles included guest spots on Glee and American Horror Story.

Melton received mainstream attention in 2017 when he was cast as Reggie Mantle in the second season of the CW series Riverdale. He replaced Ross Butler, who left the cast due to his commitment to 13 Reasons Why. After recurring during the second season, Melton officially became a series regular on Riverdale starting with the third season. In 2019, he starred in his first feature film as Daniel Bae in The Sun Is Also a Star, the film adaptation of the book of the same name by Nicola Yoon. Because of that movie, he is the first Korean-American and Asian-American actor to lead a teen romance film from a major Hollywood studio.

In 2023, he co-starred in the Todd Haynes directed Netflix drama film May December where he acted alongside Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. Melton's performance received critical acclaim, winning Best Supporting Actor from the Gotham Independent Film Awards, National Society of Film Critics Awards and the New York Film Critics Awards. He also received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award.

He starred in Warfare, an A24 war movie written and directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza. He is set to star in Love Child with Elizabeth Olsen with a release date to be announced. He will also star in Beef season 2 alongside Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Cailee Spaeny, and Yuh-Jung Youn, as well as Her Private Hell alongside Sophie Thatcher and Havana Rose Liu.

His charity work includes serving as a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics International.

Melton dated Riverdale co-star Camila Mendes from October 2018 to December 2019. They dated again briefly in 2021. He dated Chase Sui Wonders from early 2022 until that summer. He dated Chloe Bennet in the spring/summer of 2023.

Melton is currently in a relationship with director Camille Summers-Valli. In January 2026, it was announced that Summers-Valli was pregnant with their first child. On Monday 9 March 2026 Melton confirmed the birth of their child via Instagram.

Melton has two sisters, Patricia and Tammy. Tammy works with him as his producing partner.

• Charles Melton at IMDb
• Charles Melton on Instagram
• Charles Melton at Models.com