Where Is the 13 Reasons Why Cast Now? Inside the Unexpected Career Shifts
By Alexander Ross
Ross Butler made an early calculation during production. Initially cast as Reggie Mantle on The CW’s Riverdale, Butler walked away from the comic adaptation to dedicate himself fully to Zach Dempsey on 13 Reasons Why.
That gamble paid off. Butler parlayed his charisma into lucrative Hollywood franchise roles. He joined the DC Extended Universe as the adult Super Hero Eugene in Shazam! and its sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Butler also established himself as a reliable romantic-comedy lead, starring in Netflix's hit sequel To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You and appearing in high-profile adaptations like The People We Meet on Vacation. His ability to move between superhero tentpoles and lighthearted commercial streaming hits made him one of the ensemble's most consistently employed actors.
Christian Navarro, who played Clay’s fiercely protective confidant Tony Padilla, chose character work in feature thrillers. Navarro landed roles in Lionsgate's supernatural horror film Prey for the Devil, appeared on network procedurals like Law & Order: SVU, and expanded into narrative podcasting and voice acting.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
