Art & Entertainment

Lili Reinhart Almost Didn't Get Cast As Betty Cooper On 'Riverdale'

Actress Lili Reinhart "was told no" at first when she tried out for the iconic character Betty Cooper in the adaption of Archie Comics, which also stars her ex-Cole Sprouse, KJ Apa and Camila Mendes, but kept pushing to finally get cast.

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Lili Reinhart
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Actress Lili Reinhart "was told no" at first when she tried out for the iconic character Betty Cooper in the adaption of Archie Comics, which also stars her ex-Cole Sprouse, KJ Apa and Camila Mendes, but kept pushing to finally get cast.

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 person and I made it past the first round, second round, third round and then did my test and I got the role."

Reinhart is unsure where she "would have ended up" if she hadn't snagged the role, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

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."

Reinhart said that 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 tweeted: "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 where partly motivated by the desire for "better resources for mental health" that are accessible for people unable to fork out for 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."