A moment with Annette Reilly about Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Annette Reilly talks about her time in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and how she wears the many hats of director, producer, and actress.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was easily one of the most anticipated, most watched, and most enjoyed Netflix originals of 2018, and Season 2 is already one of the most anticipated TV shows of 2019. From its dark and edgy theme, and stand out cast members, there isn’t anything not to like about the original series.

Annette Reilly, who played the role of Dianna, Sabrina’s mom, in the series, spoke to Hidden Remote about her experience filming the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. She understandably couldn’t tell us anything about the next season, but she had plenty to share.

But not just about her work in the Netflix series. While that was the main focus of conversation, Annette also spoke about her own projects that she has, or is currently, working on. Many of which she becomes an extreme multi-tasker. Wearing the hats of acting, producing, and directing all at the same time.

Annette Reilly Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Image Credit: Annette Reilly, acquired via The PR Firm, Liz Rosa /

Hidden Remote: Were you a fan of Sabrina The Teenage Witch? (If you weren’t, did you end up binge-watching the series once you were cast in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina?)

Annette Reilly: Oh yes, I loved that show. I watched it when I got home from school when I was a teenager. Oh dear, I’m aging myself. Hahaha!

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HR: Had you come across the comics at all beforehand? Are you a fan of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic books? (If not, did you start reading the comic books since being cast in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina?)

AR: You know what? I didn’t even know there was a new version of the Sabrina comics. I used to read Archie Comics all the time with the odd Sabrina comic mixed in there. The first thing I did after I was cast was order a copy of the CAOS comic books. I loved how dark it was and how it didn’t pull any punches when it came to the horror aspects of the comic.

HR: Did you conduct any research to get ready for the role of Diana Spellman? a.k.a is your browser history now filled with very random and questionable search terms about devil worship, witches, and incantations?

AR: Hahaha. No, it’s not. Although, in retrospect, maybe I should have? It would have prepared me for some of the more occult elements of the show. Really the only research I did was reading the source material and watch a bit more Riverdale. I knew the tone would be different than Riverdale, but it’s a similar creative team and certain tastes would carry over.

HR: How much of your character was divulged to you before you started filming? Or did you just learn everything as you went along?

AR: I was told very little. I wasn’t even sure if I was definitely Sabrina’s Mom until arriving on set the first time. I was given scripts to read throughout filming, so little by little the character and the storyline was being revealed. This is pretty common in TV though. You grow with the character as the writers develop them within the overarching story.

HR: What was your favorite moment while being part of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

AR: Oh, there’s been so many!! There was one day during episode five that a whole bunch of the main cast were on set. That was probably my favourite day, just getting to know everyone and goof around a bit. I’ve gotta say though, going to the premiere down in LA was a thrill. The vibe of that red carpet was electric. The community was there and we were surrounded by good people filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Standing in that room, looking around at all these faces of people I had gotten to know and work with, and being able to celebrate them… THAT was my favourite moment.

HR: If you can, will we be seeing you again in season 2 of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina?

AR: I can’t talk about that, unfortunately, but overall it seems like the fans would like to see Diana and Edward a bit more! Fingers crossed.

HR: The Christmas special was a fan-favorite. We finally get to see a lot of Diana in the episode. Tell us about your experience

AR: The Christmas special was such a treat for me. I really got to delve into the relationship with Sabrina and Zelda. There’s so much there to explore there, especially with Zelda! Plus, it’s not very often that a peripheral character jumps into the plot to conspire with the lead in order to save the day. It was all such a wonderful time and a great experience!

HR: What would you like to see happen for your character moving forward?

AR: There are so many places the writers could go with Diana! I would love if there was a flashback episode to when Zelda and Hilda are younger, maybe when Sabrina was a baby and Diana and Edward were still alive. Or possibly when Edward and Diana first meet?

I would love to see that love affair in action! I mean, it was supposedly a great love. So great that they were given permission by the Dark Lord himself for a warlock and mortal to wed. It could be an epic love story! Like The Notebook! Hahaha

HR: What was it like working on a project with Netflix? Is it like other networks or is it a completely different experience?

AR: I would say it’s similar to other networks. Most productions run fairly similarly on the ground. The biggest difference that I found was that this show pushed boundaries a bit more than the average cable tv series is able. I think it gives CAOS the necessary edginess to make the story work.

HR: So, what is next for you? Will we be seeing you in any other projects soon?

AR: I’m always creating my own projects. I’ve got a couple of feature films in the works right now, in which I’m set to either producer, direct, or act… or sometimes wear a couple of those hats at the same time. I just finished a short film where I did all three of those positions. It was very difficult, but I am incredibly proud of the film and what our team managed to pull off given the resources available to us. It’s called A Typical Fairytale. It’s takes the classic fairytale format and gives it a twist, where the princess tells the parents that she is actually a prince.

The parents then have to figure out how to take this news. It’s really about love and acceptance. Very relevant for this day and age. You can check out the Storyhive version of A Typical Fairytale on their website or watch it on YouTube. We are fixing some of the VFX right now and will be doing the film festival circuit in 2019.

I’m also about to shoot a feature film called Broil where I get to fulfill a childhood dream of playing a vampire. It’s considered a Horror, but I like to think of it as Greek Tragedy with vampires. Sounds great, doesn’t it!?! You can check out my Instagram or Facebook page to stay updated on any of my projects, including A Typical Fairytale and Broil.

Next. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: 9 questions we need answered in Season 2. dark

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 2 is scheduled to return April 5, 2019.

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