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"Riverdale" star Lili Reinhart appreciates the support of her fans, but she wants them to respect her boundaries.
In a Harpers Bazaar interview published Monday, the actress who plays Betty Cooper on the CW hit recalled getting bombarded by fans in New York City after seeing "Waitress" on Broadway. The group of admirers wanted photos, but she and co-star Casey Cott declined, and that didn't sit well with the strangers.
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View Story"They said, 'Why do you hate your fans?'" Reinhart said. "That felt like the most dehumanizing thing... I see them saying, 'Your fans are what make you,' and I appreciate the love and support. But you have to understand that I'm not on 100 percent of the time. And I shouldn't be expected to be."
"I don't act to be famous," she said. "I just am a performer."
Two things she holds close to the chest are her relationship and her family.
"I'm not okay talking about my relationship," Reinhart told the publication of her rumored relationship with co-star Cole Sprouse (they attended the Met Gala together.) "I'm not going to tell you my love story. That's just not appropriate right now."
Similarly, the actress explained that her family is off-limits as well, and that it "weirds [her] out" when people DM (direct message) her mom.
However, the one problem with fame that Reinhart struggles to adjust to is something she called "the speculation."
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View Story"Am I pregnant? Am I dating someone? Am I gay? Am I gaining weight? Am I homophobic?" Reinhart rattled off. "People will always have something to say. I've accepted that. It doesn't mean it's not frustrating when people say those things. It's not like it just rolls off my back."
She also has trouble wrapping her head around how people are so quick to recognize her.
"People knew who I was in Hawaii, and people knew who I was in Paris," she explained. "My cast mates have gone all over the world and people recognize them. It's on a global scale. I'm a blonde white girl. I have sunglasses on and a hat. How do people look at me, and in an instant, they know? People are seeing my face that much. It's something I can't wrap my head around. I don't know how you ever can."
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