Madelaine Petsch: Facts, Dating, Age, and Hair Truth

If you’ve watched Riverdale, you’ve probably wondered about the actress behind Cheryl Blossom’s fiery red hair. Madelaine Petsch has become one of the most recognizable faces from the show, but some details about her life spark more curiosity than others.

Age: 30 (as of 2024) ·
Height: 5’5″ (1.65 m) ·
Known for: Riverdale ·
Birthplace: Port Orchard, Washington ·
Nationality: American-South African

Six key biographical data points, one pattern: even the most basic stats about Petsch contain small discrepancies across authoritative sources.

Who has Madelaine Petsch dated?

Madelaine Petsch and Travis Mills

• Petsch was in a relationship with musician Travis Mills from early 2017 to February 2020, according to Cosmopolitan.
• A March 2021 profile in Cosmopolitan referred to Mills as Petsch’s “three-year relationship” and said the breakup happened about a year earlier.
• During their relationship, Mills sometimes blow-dried her hair and had attended cosmetology school, per Coveteur.

Madelaine Petsch and Tyga

• As of March 2025, some secondary biographies have linked Petsch to rapper Tyga, but this remains unconfirmed (Wikipedia).
• Since August 2022, Petsch has been reported as being in a relationship with music manager Anthony Li (Wikipedia).

Is Madelaine Petsch African?

American and South African heritage

• Petsch holds dual American and South African citizenship. Her mother is South African, her father is American (TV Guide).
• She was raised for the first ten years of her life in Washington State and South Africa (ScreenDollars).

Birthplace and family background

• Born in Port Orchard, Washington, United States (IMDb).
• Wikipedia identifies her as an American-South African actress and social media personality (Wikipedia).

The implication: Petsch’s identity is genuinely binational — she is not “African” in the sense of being from an African country exclusively, but she holds South African citizenship through her mother.

Is Madelaine Petsch naturally red?

The truth about her hair color

• Petsch has said in an interview that she is a natural redhead (YouTube interview with Madelaine Petsch).
• However, a 2018 profile in Coveteur stated she had never dyed her hair at that time — implying she was already red without assistance.

How she achieves her red hair

• Given the contradiction, it’s possible Petsch’s natural color is a strawberry blonde or light auburn that she enhances with dye for Riverdale.
• Multiple media outlets note she is not a natural ginger, but direct evidence is thin (IMDb).

What are Madelaine Petsch’s most famous roles?

Riverdale as Cheryl Blossom

• Best known for portraying Cheryl Blossom on The CW series Riverdale, which ran from 2017 to 2023 (IMDb).
• The role made her a household name among young adult audiences.

Film roles

• Starred in the thriller Sightless (2020) (Famous Birthdays).
• Appeared in The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024), a horror reboot (Famous Birthdays).

Why this matters: Petsch’s post-Riverdale career is leaning into horror, a genre that could define her next decade.

How old is Madelaine Petsch and how tall is she?

Age and birth date

• Born August 18, 1994, making her 30 years old in 2024 (and 31 in August 2025) (Famous Birthdays).
• Famous Birthdays also lists August 18, 1994.

Height and physical stats

• IMDb lists her height as 5 feet 4¼ inches (1.63 m) (ScreenDollars).
• Some secondary bios list her at 5 feet 5¾ inches, showing a height discrepancy across sources (ScreenDollars).

Timeline of major events in Madelaine Petsch’s life

• 2017 – Began role as Cheryl Blossom on Riverdale; started dating Travis Mills (IMDb).
• 2020 – Starred in film Sightless; confirmed breakup with Travis Mills (Cosmopolitan).
• 2022 – Reportedly began relationship with Anthony Li (Wikipedia).
• 2024 – The Strangers: Chapter 1 released (Famous Birthdays).
• 2025 – Rumored link to Tyga reported (Wikipedia).

The pattern: major career milestones align with personal life changes.

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Birth details: August 18, 1994, Port Orchard, Washington (IMDb)
• Role as Cheryl Blossom on Riverdale (TV Guide)
• Breakup with Travis Mills in 2020 (Cosmopolitan)
• Naturally blonde hair, dyed red for the role (per early interview) (Coveteur)
• Exact split timeline with Travis Mills (February 2020) (Cosmopolitan)

What remains unclear

• Current relationship status (Anthony Li vs. Tyga rumor) (Wikipedia)
• Natural hair color: she claims natural redhead, but earlier evidence contradicts (Coveteur)
• Height discrepancy between IMDb and other sources (ScreenDollars)
• Future career projects beyond 2024 (Famous Birthdays)
• Height around 5’4″–5’5″ (1.63–1.65 m) (ScreenDollars)

The disparity between confirmed and unclear items highlights how much of Petsch’s personal life remains private. For a similar take on another celebrity, check out Camila Morrone: Biography, Age, and DiCaprio Relationship.

Quotes from key sources

Madelaine Grobbelaar Petsch is an American-South African actress and social media personality.

Wikipedia (user-contributed encyclopedia)

Best known for portraying Cheryl Blossom on The CW series Riverdale.

IMDb (filmography database)

Petsch had never dyed her hair at that time.

Coveteur (lifestyle publication)

The pattern across all sources: even high-authority references disagree on small details like height and hair color. That’s not unusual for celebrity profiles, but it means readers should treat any single source as provisional.

For a deeper look into her background and personal life, check out more on Madelaine Petschs biography over at Coast Brief.

Frequently asked questions

These answers are based on the most consistently reported data across sources. For more on celebrity profiles, read about Brooks Nader: Age, Biography, Husband, and Career Facts.

For fans trying to separate gossip from facts, the lesson is clear: rely on verified records and treat even Petsch’s own statements with caution when they conflict with earlier interviews. The biggest takeaway: what you see on screen—the red hair, the confident persona—may not tell the full story.