Drama spilled off the Vancouver set of "Riverdale" this week when actor Cole Sprouse confronted a busker whose singing was allegedly holding up production.
Sprouse, who plays Jughead in the Archie Comics-based Netflix series, was caught on camera clashing with musician Babe Coal on Robson Street, where the hit show was filming its second season.
Video uploaded to YouTube Wednesday night shows Sprouse and Coal surrounded by a crowd that appears to include both die-hard "Riverdale" fans who were there for the shoot and people gathered to watch the singer perform.
"We can't film anything," Sprouse says. "I know you're asking for compensation, we're asking for simply an hour to finish the shoot."
Lili Reinhart, who plays Betty in the show, can be seen in costume folding her arms nearby.
When Coal refuses to pause her performance, Sprouse turns to the crowd and seemingly suggests the busker showed up intending to disrupt filming. Twitter users noted there were signs put up prior to the shoot indicating a crew would be at work.
"Just in case you guys don't know how this works, this is one of the secrets to film production. We give a location to the city, and some scam artists come out and start playing," the Jughead actor says before Coal cuts him off.
The musician then tells the "Riverdale" gang she sings in that part of Robson regularly.
"I play here every day. You guys came here to where I perform. So you can't call me a scam artist, you came here to where I perform," Coal said.
"What you guys are is cheap. You guys are so cheap. And rude. And interfering."
Cole Sprouse slandered me and acted terribly he should be ashamed. What he and cast did was abusive towards a member of the public.
— Babe Coal (@BabeCoal) July 13, 2017
Coal, whose real name is Megan Regehr, has proven more than willing to fight for her right to busk in the past. Last year, she sued the City of Vancouver for requiring paid licences to busk in certain areas, and filed a separate lawsuit against the City of North Vancouver alleging its bylaw officers cost her CD sales and tips by ordering her not to use an amplifier.
The latter lawsuit asked for $140,000 to make up for lost income over a period of four years.
Vancouver city staff told CTV News Coal does not have a busking licence, but that the area of Robson where she was performing does not require one.
Sprouse and Reinhart eventually walked away from the confrontation. Another video posted to social media the same night shows the Jughead actor snapping one of Coal's CDs in half to cheers from his fans, who said they'd purchased it to buy time for the "Riverdale" shoot to wrap up.
That wasn't the end of the incident for Coal, however. On Twitter, the singer claimed she was "detained unlawfully" by Vancouver police officers.
"Police unlawfully acted as 'Rent a Cops'," Coal wrote. "My understanding of what Canada is and has been is deflating and it's sad. If we want a Free Country our work is not done."
A spokesperson for the Vancouver Police Department confirmed officers did respond to a noise complaint, but said no arrests were made.
According to Const. Jason Doucette, police only tried to mediate the dispute between Coal and the production company, Shadow Lake Films.
"The street performer chose not to compromise and coincidentally only turned off her equipment when the film crew decided to pack it in for the night," Const. Jason Doucette said in an email.
"Should a pattern of disruptive behavior develop, we may look at the possibility that the performer is purposely interfering with other people’s lawful use of property."
The musician has not responded to a request for comment from CTV News.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Jon Woodward
@WhatsFilming @yvrshoots crazy stuff happening.. pic.twitter.com/CQ4wNtWTmM
— SD, LW, RN (@coconutbannana) July 13, 2017