The teaser trailer for Netflix's upcoming horror series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina showed a lot of hints of what was to come. Of all the things previewed, one thing fans did not see was Sabrina holding her cat, Salem. Well, it turns out there is a backstory that explains that, as well as why Salem could be a lesser-seen presence than initially expected. Providing a crucial bit of behind-the-scenes info relating to the series' leading lady, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, said:
I get a call that says, 'Kiernan is allergic to the cat. It did go through my mind: Could Salem be a dog?
So, while Sabrina may not be allergic to Salem the cat, Kiernan Shipka is. While that may seem like a foreboding sign for fans who want to see Sabrina interact with Salem, it is not the end of the story. It was nice for Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa to shed light on the furry situation to EW.
For her part, Melissa Joan Hart did not have to worry about her allergies when it came time for her to interface with Salem on the 90s sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. That is because that TV show's take on Sabrina's story featured an animatronic instead of a real-life cat in the role of Salem.
Despite his absence in the teaser trailer, fans knew that Salem would appear on Netflix's upcoming series. Back in February, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa shared a picture of the cat playing Salem. So, fans have been prepared to get a good look of Sabrina with her cat. Salem only makes an appearance at the tail end of the series' teaser trailer, as he stealthily walks towards the drama's release date.
Fans will have to tune in to see if they get a better look at the cat when the series premieres. Despite Kiernan Shipka's allergies, the show will go on between Sabrina and Salem. The series will be working around the situation the old-fashioned way, which means that thanks to some creative finagling, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will not have to forego Salem entirely. Kiernan Shipka shared the simple solution, saying:
We keep at a safe distance. it's like, 'Actors That Didn't Get Along in Shows: Kiernan and the Cat Hated Each Other.'
She has a great sense of humor about it, which is lovely. As for Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's proposal of using a dog instead of a cat for Salem, it could have been interesting to see where such a switch could have gone. Perhaps having a dog and a cat on the show could have been a solution. The best of both worlds.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will premiere just in time for Halloween, this fall. Season 1 will be available to watch in its entirety, starting October 26 on Netflix. And Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will be joined by many other shows making their debut before the end of the year. Netflix has more than one horror series in the queue to keep fans entertained.
