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. In 2026, he produced and starred as a personal trainer in the second season of the Netflix anthology series Beef, for which he received two nominations—Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and Outstanding Supporting Actor—at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Contents
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 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.
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 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 starred 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.
On August 20, 2026, it was announced that Melton was in final negotiations to play Kakashi Hatake for the live-action film adaption of Naruto, which will be directed and written by Destin Daniel Cretton.
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 to mid-2022. He dated Chloe Bennet in 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 March 9, 2026, Melton confirmed the birth of their daughter via Instagram. On August 20, 2026, it was reported that Melton quietly married Summers-Valli.
Melton has two sisters, Patricia and Tammy. Tammy works with him as his producing partner.