In a new interview, the actress portraying iconic blonde Betty Cooper on the CW hit adaptation of the Archie Comics unveils that she had to keep pushing to finally get cast.
- Aug 19, 2022
AceShowbiz - Lili Reinhart has unveiled that she almost didn't get the role of Betty Cooper on "Riverdale". The "Look Both Ways" star "was told no" at first when she tried out for the iconic blonde in the CW adaption of the "Archie Comics".
In a new interview, Lili admitted that she kept pushing to finally get cast on the hit series, which also stars her ex Cole Sprouse, KJ Apa and Camila Mendes. The 25-year-old actress told E! News, "It's weird because when I auditioned for Riverdale at first, I was told no. I didn't get the role. They said no, and then I moved to L.A. and they still hadn't cast the role of Betty and so I was able to go in in person because the first time was a self-tape. And then I went in in-person and I made it past the first round, second round, third round and then did my test and I got the role."
Lili is unsure where she "would have ended up" if she hadn't snagged the role. She said, "There was a very big chance and a moment where I didn't have that role and if I hadn't, I don't know where I would have ended up. I think I still would have moved to LA, but I don't think I'd be sitting here."
Lili admitted she's "very guilty" of being opinionated on social media. "I definitely go on rants on social media, I'm very guilty of that. I don't like to just sit idly by, I don't like to keep my mouth shut. I know people on Twitter hate me. There are articles and everyone is like, 'God, does this girl ever shut up and stop complaining?' No, actually, I don't, because I've got a lot to say and no one else really seems to be."
For example, after the recent Met Gala, Lili took aim at Kim Kardashian, who detailed the restrictive diet she went on fit into the Bob Mackie gown Marilyn Monroe donned to sing President John F. Kennedy "Happy Birthday" in 1962. She wrote on social media, "To openly admit to starving yourself for the sake of the Met Gala. When you know very well that millions of young men and women are looking up to you and listening to your every word."
Lili explained that her comments were partly motivated by the desire for "better resources for mental health" that are accessible for people unable to fork out fancy rehabs. She said, "I've certainly been to the point where I thought, I need help, that I'm not OK mentally, that I wish I could go somewhere. Unfortunately, a lot of the resources are $90,000 retreats in Malibu, and I'm not about to just go sit on a lounge chair and have therapy for five days and be like, 'Cool! I'm better!' I wish there were better resources for mental health, and in the sense that people need to be taken more seriously when they're struggling."
