As Riverdale prepares to end its run on The CW, Lili Reinhart, arguably the show’s breakout star, has wasted no time preparing for the next chapter in her career. Since making her debut as the iconic comic character Betty Cooper in 2017, the actress has also ventured into other roles in recent years. For instance, she joined Jennifer Lopez in the critically acclaimed drama Hustlers. Reinhart also followed this up with a brief cameo in Elizabeth Banks’ Charlie’s Angels.At the same time, the Ohio native has also been making some moves behind the scenes. In recent years, the actress has also been producing her own projects, and it seems that becoming a multi-hyphenate (Reinhart is quite a talented singer and author too) suits her just fine.
So Far, Lili Reinhart Has Produced Two Projects
Reinhart may have had a lot on her plate in recent years but when the opportunity to produce something with Amazon Studios “came out of the blue,” she just went for it.
“I said, ‘Hell yeah, I would love to obviously be a part of something from start to finish',” the actress recalled. “I really love acting, obviously it’s my passion, but I really like to be involved in things from start to finish. I like to have my hand in everything.”
That first project with Amazon Studios turned out to be the romantic drama Chemical Hearts, which Reinhart produced with her company Small Victory Productions, which she runs with producing partner Catherine Hagedorn.
The business partners have been on the lookout for “young adult stories that are modern” and Chemical Hearts — a tale of teen self-discovery — fits the bill nicely.
“I think we’ve overdone the losing-my-virginity story, going-to-prom story, coming-out stories. What happens after all those things? We want to dive into exploring queer stories, diverse mental health issues, a wide variety of things, but for young people, people in their twenties like me who are still pretty clueless and figuring things out,” Reinhart explained.
“I want to make shows and movies that I can relate to and that I know my friends can relate to.”
Soon after, Reinhart also produced and starred in the recent Netflix dramedy Look Both Ways, which explores parallel realities of a teen’s life after graduating from college.
For the film, she tapped director Wanuri Kahiu who is known for her critically acclaimed Kenyan romantic drama Rafiki.
“I was just like damn, what a filmmaker, what a beautiful woman in this industry who wants to create art,” Reinhart said of Kahiu. “It was a very collaborative, warm experience.”
Becoming A Producer Has Been ‘So Fulfilling’ For Lili Reinhart
Reinhart may be new to being a producer, but she seems to be getting the hang of it so far. More importantly, the actress has also been enjoying the whole process.
“Producing has been so fulfilling,” Reinhart remarked. “I think it’s the Virgo in me, I like to have a sense of control and leadership, I want to feel like I’m being taken seriously, and I want to make beautiful films that mean something. So, I fight for my vision.”
She’s also said that being a producer has been quite an empowering experience.
“I’ve also learned not to be afraid of having an opinion. There’s a fear, as a woman in the industry, that if you speak up too much or have too many thoughts/opinions, you’re a ‘b****’ or ‘difficult to work with.’ I really hope we start to grow out of that misogynistic point of view. I try to navigate through my position as a producer with a lack of that fear,” Reinhart explained.
“I am very hardworking and strong-minded. I don’t think that’s anything to be ashamed of. If that intimidates someone, and I’m called a bad name, that’s a risk I’m willing to take in order to push for my vision. Putting a project together from start to finish is extremely gratifying.”
Does Lili Reinhart Plan To Stop Acting?
For now, Reinhart is yet to announce any other projects following the release of Look Both Ways, but it doesn’t seem like the actress will keep fans guessing for much longer. After all, Small Victory Productions does have a first-look TV and film deal with Amazon Studios and after Chemical Hearts, Reinhart has been keen on “expanding” her relationship with the streamer.
Amazon Studios has also made it clear that they feel the same way. “Following the success of the emotional and poignant Chemical Hearts, we’re so thrilled to continue our working partnership with Lili, as we welcome her back into the Amazon family,” Jennifer Salke, its Head of Studios, said in a statement.
“Lili’s on-screen charisma, as well as her passion for dynamic storytelling, brings a refreshing perspective to the young adult genre, and we can’t wait for our global audiences to see what we have in store.”
At the same time, Reinhart herself once hinted that there are projects in the works. “My production company, Small Victory Productions, has very exciting projects in development currently at Amazon and I can’t wait to share what those are when the time comes,” she explained.
“It takes a long time for film/tv to actually come to life, from an idea to actually filming it, so I’m trying to practice patience with that!” Reinhart’s company reportedly has seven projects in development with Amazon.
Details have yet to be released regarding whether Lili will act, produce, or both, in those projects.