Some actors do their best to separate themselves from the mainstream projects that gave them their big break. Not Lili Reinhart.
Speaking with Marie Claire for our Next Gen issue, Reinhart says she's deeply grateful for her seven years working on Riverdale, the hit CW teen drama series she starred in alongside KJ Apa, Camila Mendes, Madelaine Petsch, and her ex Cole Sprouse.
One reason Reinhart is so happy to have gotten that opportunity: The acting Riverdale required spanned many genres, time periods, and ages. "I feel like I could do anything because I had this seven-year runway of experience," the star tells writer Tyler McCall.
This made Reinhart a candidate for acting roles in a wide range of new projects, including the MUBI show Hal & Harper—a piece of work she's particularly proud of.
"Anyone who bashes the work that got them to where they are is doing themselves a great disservice," she says. "Call the show crazy. It was. It gave me so much, and I'm so thankful for it. I'm not delusional to the fact that I'm sitting in my house because of Riverdale. I'm not embarrassed of it."
Another reason Reinhart is grateful for Riverdale? The show was indirectly responsible for helping her meet her boyfriend, Jack Martin; she saw his TikTok making fun of Riverdale and reached out to him shortly after. The two have been dating since the summer of 2023.
Riverdale ran between 2017 and 2023, with its peak in season two bringing in 2.3 million viewers for the premiere. Although viewership declined after that, it remains a beloved show.
