The enormity of having her new show, Riverdale an intense drama based on the Archie comics, just debut at San Diego Comic-Con is not lost on actress Lili Reinhart. “I’m going into this experience prepared for the craziness of the diehard Archie comics fans.” explains the actress on the eve of the world’s biggest fan convention, “They’ve grown up with these characters and are so excited to see it on television. It’ a lot of pressure on us.”

Reinhart is confident Riverdale will live up to their expectations, describing the show as Gossip Girl meets Twin Peaks and her character, Betty Cooper, as an overachieving girl-next-door who’s an outsider. “It may not seem like she is, but she doesn’t exactly have a specific place to fit in,” says Reinhart, “She’s nor really a cheerleader. She’s not on a sports team, She’s just foating around a little bit, and that’s how I was my whole life, so I can relate to the loneliness of that.”

Although the Ohio native, who started pursuing acting at age 12, has had succes in the past — guest appearances on shows like Law & Order: SVU and a recurring role on Christopher Meloni’s short-lived sitcom Surviving Jack — Reinhart’s first starring role could be a game changer. Luckily, the 19-year-old gets to share her experience with co-stars K.J. Apa, who plays Archie Andrews, and Camila Mendes, who plas Betty’s frenemy, Veronica Lodge. “Were all up-and-comers, and while we were filming, I looked over to Camila and said, ‘Do you realize that we are Betty and Veronica?’ We would just get giddy for a minute. Itt’ crazy that I was given this chance — I’m just on cloud nine.”