# 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 of a young man married to a much-older woman in the drama film May December (2023), Melton earned nominations for a Critics' Choice Movie Award and a Golden Globe Award.

## Early life

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 his father in 1990. Melton is their eldest child. 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 twenty to pursue acting and moved to Los Angeles, California, in 2012.
He also previously worked as a dog walker on the app Wag.

## Career

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 is set to star in Love Child with Elizabeth Olsen with a release date to be announced. He is also set to star in Warfare, an A24 war movie written and directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza. He will also star in Beef season 2 alongside Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Cailee Spaeny, and Yuh-Jung Youn.
His charity work includes serving as a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics International.

## Personal life

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

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2018 | The Thinning: New World Order | Cage | Web film |
| 2019 | The Sun Is Also a Star | Daniel Bae | |
| 2020 | Bad Boys for Life | Rafe | |
| 2020 | Mainstream | Himself | Cameo |
| 2021 | Heart of Champions | Chris Davenport | |
| 2022 | Secret Headquarters | Hawaii | |
| 2023 | May December | Joe Yoo | |
| 2025 | Warfare | TBA | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2014 | Glee | Model | Episode: "New New York" |
| 2015–2016 | American Horror Story: Hotel | Mr. Wu | 2 episodes |
| 2017–2023 | Riverdale | Reggie Mantle | Recurring (season 2); main (seasons 3–7) |
| 2021 | American Horror Stories | Wyatt | Episode: "The Naughty List" |
| 2023 | Poker Face | Davis McDowell | Episode: "The Future of the Sport" |
| 2023 | History of the World, Part II | Joshy Mudman | 3 episodes |

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Artist(s) |
| 2016 | "Save My Soul" | JoJo |
| 2019 | "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" | Ariana Grande |
| 2025 | "Love Hangover" | Jennie |

## Awards and nominations

| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| Astra Film Awards | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| Austin Film Critics Association | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| Boston Online Film Critics Association | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| Boston Society of Film Critics | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Runner-up |
| Celebration of Cinema and Television | 2023 | Breakthrough Performance Award | May December | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | 2023 | Most Promising Performer | May December | Won |
| Chicago Indie Critics | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| Chicago Indie Critics | 2024 | Breakout Artist | May December | Nominated |
| Columbus Film Critics Association | 2024 | Best Supporting Performance | May December | Nominated |
| Columbus Film Critics Association | 2024 | Breakthrough Film Artist | May December | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Runner-up |
| Denver Film Critics Society | 2024 | Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Male | May December | Nominated |
| DiscussingFilm Critic Awards | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| DiscussingFilm Critic Awards | 2024 | Best Breakthrough Performance | May December | Won |
| Dublin Film Critics Circle | 2023 | Best Actor | May December | Nominated |
| Florida Film Critics Circle | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| Florida Film Critics Circle | 2023 | Breakout Award | May December | Nominated |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Runner-up |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | 2024 | Breakthrough Award | May December | Runner-up |
| Golden Globe Awards | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | May December | Nominated |
| Gotham Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Supporting Performance | May December | Won |
| Greater Western New York Film Critics Association | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| Greater Western New York Film Critics Association | 2023 | Breakthrough Performance | May December | Won |
| Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards | 2023 | Best Supporting Performance | May December | Nominated |
| Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards | 2023 | Breakout of the Year | May December | Runner-up |
| Independent Spirit Awards | 2024 | Best Supporting Performance | May December | Nominated |
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| London Film Critics' Circle | 2024 | Supporting Actor of the Year | May December | Won |
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | 2019 | Best Kiss | Riverdale | Nominated |
| Music City Film Critics Association | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Pending |
| National Society of Film Critics | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| New York Film Critics Online Awards | 2023 | Breakthrough Performer | May December | Won |
| North Carolina Film Critics Association | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| North Carolina Film Critics Association | 2024 | Best Breakthrough Performance | May December | Nominated |
| North Dakota Film Society | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Pending |
| North Texas Film Critics Association Awards | 2023 | Best Newcomer | May December | Nominated |
| Online Association of Female Film Critics | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| Online Association of Female Film Critics | 2023 | Breakthrough Performance | May December | Won |
| Philadelphia Film Critics Circle | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Runner-up |
| Philadelphia Film Critics Circle | 2023 | Best Breakthrough Performance | May December | Won |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| Santa Barbara International Film Festival | 2024 | Virtuoso Award | May December | Won |
| Satellite Awards | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | May December | Nominated |
| Seattle Film Critics Society | 2024 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Runner-up |
| Teen Choice Awards | 2019 | Choice Summer Movie Actor | The Sun is Also a Star | Nominated |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | 2023 | Best Supporting Performance | May December | Runner-up |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | 2023 | Best Breakthrough Performance | May December | Runner-up |
| UK Film Critics Association | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Nominated |
| Utah Film Critics Association | 2024 | Best Supporting Performance, Male | May December | Runner-up |
| Variety & Golden Globe's Breakthrough Artist Awards | 2023 | Breakthrough Artist Award | May December | Honoree |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | 2023 | Best Supporting Actor | May December | Won |
| Women Film Critics Circle | 2023 | Best Actor | May December | Runner-up |