Gen V Will Not Recast Chance Perdomo's Role Following Actor's Tragic Death
The news of actor Chance Perdomo's death came as a horrible shock when it was first reported several weeks ago. Perdomo was just 27 years old when he was killed in a motorcycle crash. A rising star thanks to his standout performances in "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "The Boys" spinoff "Gen V," Perdomo was reportedly returning to Toronto for the first "Gen V" season 2 table read when the accident occurred. Production was immediately put on hold to give the cast and creative team time to process the tragedy and decide how best to handle it within the show.
Now, the producers of "Gen V" have released a statement on social media confirming that Perdomo's character, Andre Anderson, will not be recast in season 2:
"As we continue to navigate the tragic loss of Chance Perdomo, everyone at 'Gen V' is determined to find the best way to pay respect to his memory. We won't be recasting the role, because no one can replace Chance. Instead, we have been taking the time and space to recraft our season 2 storylines as we begin production in May. We will honor Chance and his legacy this season."
The first season of "Gen V" ended with Andre and several other characters held in captivity by Vought International, the villainous megacorporation that controls their school, Godolkin University, and was responsible for giving them superpowers. Given Andre's current perilous situation, he may simply be written out via the character's death — though the writers could also have him escape and go into hiding indefinitely.
Gen V isn't the only show reeling from the death of a cast member
Handling the death of an actor, particularly one who played a central role in a TV show, is never easy, but ultimately the choice comes down to rewriting, recasting, or canceling the show altogether. Starz's historical action series "Spartacus" opted to recast its titular role when original Spartacus actor Andy Whitfield suffered a relapse of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with Liam McIntyre stepping into the character's sandals. In that case, however, Whitfield was able to give his blessing to the recasting before he passed away later that same year.
Other shows currently facing the same difficult task as "Gen V" include the Disney+ series "Star Wars: Ahsoka" and HBO's critically-acclaimed drama "Euphoria." Ray Stevenson, who played one of the main antagonists in "Ahsoka," died just a few months before season 1 premiered. (Lucasfilm has yet to confirm whether his role will be recast.) "Euphoria" has been in limbo since season 2 concluded in February 2022, due to multiple factors delaying season 3. If and when the show finally returns, it will have to find a way to sensitively handle the death of 25-year-old actor Angus Cloud, whose character Fezco was particularly beloved by fans.
The decision to provide a graceful exit for Perdomo's character in "Gen V" season 2 seems like the best choice in a terrible situation. Several cast members from the series are set to appear in "The Boys" season 4, which premieres on June 13, but Andre wasn't among the characters who appeared in the recent trailer. Since there's no mention of "The Boys" in the producers' statement, the season 4 storyline was presumably not impacted.