Lili Reinhart on love, illness and life after «Riverdale» — for Glamour
«Why can’t a woman simply exist without a man being part of the story?»
«Riverdale» star Lili Reinhart is the cover star of the October issue of «Glamour Germany». The 30-year-old actress opens up about unconditional love, painful experiences from past relationships, her struggle with depression and the pressure society places on women.
For the photoshoot, she wore looks by Dior, Rotate, Chloé, Gucci, Loewe, Versace, Fendi and Prada, accessorized with jewelry by Bvlgari. The shoot was photographed by Eileen Jordan, with styling by Denise Schneider.
In the interview, the actress revealed that, for the first time, she feels truly safe with her boyfriend, Jack Martin. She also explained why she no longer reads comments about her appearance, how she has learned to embrace her body and why she no longer wants to shape her life around other people’s expectations.
Lili learned early on what it meant to live under constant public scrutiny. At 19, she landed the role of Betty Cooper in «Riverdale», and just a year later, she had become famous far beyond the United States.
Today, the actress is more selective about what she shares with the public and what she chooses to keep private. This shift has been particularly evident in her personal life. After relationships in which she lacked emotional intimacy and a sense of security, Reinhart met Jack Martin.
She says it took several years to learn how to feel at ease in a new relationship. Her past experiences had left her constantly anticipating something bad and questioning her partner’s feelings. Now, she responds differently.
«I finally feel completely safe. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. My boyfriend, Jack, has shown me what unconditional love means for the first time in my life», Lili said.
Social media has also been a challenge for the actress. At first, Reinhart took criticism of her appearance, behavior and acting personally. She tried to defend herself and respond to people who insulted her. Over time, however, she realized that these arguments only drained her energy and pulled her into an endless cycle of frustration and anger.
«The internet isn’t going to change just because I’m angry. If I get caught up in it, I’m only hurting myself», she explained.
Now, Lili deliberately avoids posts about herself. She even asks her friends and loved ones not to send her posts discussing her appearance.
Another major topic in the interview is the series of health problems that have significantly affected Reinhart’s life in recent years. The actress says that for roughly six years, she received a new diagnosis almost every year. These included interstitial cystitis, endometriosis, adenomyosis and mast cell activation syndrome. Before that, she had also dealt with the effects of black mold exposure, an intestinal infection and problems with her insulin levels.
Against this backdrop of health issues, Lili developed alopecia, and her weight fluctuated considerably. During the filming of «Riverdale», she was not always able to fit into the clothes prepared for costume fittings.
«I felt as though I had to apologize for my body», she recalled.
Reinhart is now exercising again and feels stronger. She is proud of her body not because of a particular number on the scale, but because, after a prolonged period of physical weakness, she is gradually returning to an active life.
In the interview, the actress also addressed female independence and double standards. She is frustrated that women’s appearance, achievements and even their right to express an opinion are still so often judged through the lens of their relationships with men.
«Why can’t a woman simply exist without a man being part of her story?» Reinhart asked.
She emphasized that society still frequently sends women the message that their worth depends on how much men like them and whether their romantic lives are going well.
Reinhart also rejects the idea that women should be accommodating, restrained and constantly concerned with meeting other people’s expectations.
In her view, women should not have to continually prove that they deserve respect or conform to someone else’s ideas about how they should look, behave or approach relationships.
Another important subject of the conversation was mental health. Lili speaks openly about depression and anxiety. In the past, she viewed her condition as something permanent — something she would have to live with for the rest of her life. Her outlook on the future has since changed.
«I used to think, “I’ll always be depressed, and that’s okay.” But now I understand that I can make decisions and change my life», the actress said.
Recently, Reinhart has become interested in neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change and form new neural connections. Working with a specialist is helping her better understand her own traumatic experiences and familiar behavioral patterns.
According to the actress, these changes have already influenced the way she sees life. She has learned to experience joy again — something that once seemed almost impossible to reach.
«In my twenties, I barely believed I would ever be happy. Now I look forward with hope not only to my thirties, but to the rest of my life», Reinhart admitted.
Reflecting on the decade ahead, the star shared that she would like to become a mother one day. For now, however, she does not feel ready to take that step and has no intention of rushing into it.
«I definitely see myself becoming a mother, but closer to the end of my thirties. I don’t want children right now», the actress said.
Photo: Glamour
