This article is published in issue 43 of Vanity Fair on newsstands until 25 October 2022
Lili Reinhart he crouches on the leather sofa, tilts his head to the side and tells me he can’t keep his mouth shut. “I don’t want to expose myself all the time either, but someone has to do it, right?” She asks. The last time she failed to shut up was last May, when she took it – without ever naming her – with Kim Kardashian and the “Toxic culture of diets”: the occasion was Kim’s notable and lightning-fast weight loss, willing at all costs to get into a famous Marilyn Monroe dress to show off at the Met Gala. The accusation: bragging about having lost all those pounds in a short time is harmful. About her Of her twenty-six years, she has spent her last Lili playing Betty Cooperthe good girl next door star of RiverdaleGen Z TV series par excellence, but also to raise awareness of its audience on mental health and on the body positivity. With rare sincerity, she told of suffering from anxiety And depressiondifficulties in accepting his body.
Lili was in Milan to attend the spring-summer fashion show of Max Marawhich on October 27 will deliver the Women in Film Max Mara Face of the Future Award of 2022, the prize awarded each year to an actress who is at a turning point in her career. The watershed for her will be the farewell to Riverdale, whose final season shooting is underway. Lili Reinhart is Betty Cooper: a character as much loved by the very young as it is difficult to forget.
What effect does winning the Women in Film Max Mara Face of the Future award have?
“When I found out, I felt flattered and honored to be considered an influential person. At that moment I thought I won it for my work on mental health and body acceptance. Then a friend pointed out to me the obvious: I receive him as an actress. It was interesting, a confirmation of what I do. I still can’t take myself completely seriously. ‘
Because?
“Maybe because I would like to keep my feet on the ground, or because I haven’t received many awards yet or maybe it’s just the impostor syndrome. I certainly feel that I have not yet shown my best as an actress ».
What would you like to do?
“I started a production company with which I am developing very ambitious projects that also include fantastic roles for me. When I start playing more demanding characters, I will feel more confident ».
What is the life of an idol like for the very young?
“Oh God, idol is a strong word, perhaps better to say model. It’s both an honor and a curse, especially when what I say is taken out of context and used to do clickbait. In any case it is a privilege to have a voice that will be heard and I think that if you have this possibility you have to use it to say things, send messages. In my small way I always try to bring my authentic self into interviews and books and everything I do. “
In fact, he often talks about mental health and his anxiety and depression issues. How did you overcome them?
«I have not passed them. It’s an important point, that’s why I keep talking about it. For me, there is no solution ».
Will it never be there?
“Maybe someone found it, but in my case there is no definitive cure for depression, which is caused by a malfunction of a part of the brain. I have found some ways to relieve it and to ease anxiety: keeping a journal, attending retreats, being with friends. It’s a problem I can manage ».
The word “divine” was tattooed on the arm. Because?
«Two years ago, after the end of a relationship, I started a spiritual journey that led me to study reiki in depth, I will soon become a teacher. I just returned from a retreat with two friends in Northern California. Spirituality today is an important part of my life ».
Is there a link between mental health and your job?
“There may be. My job is sometimes hyper-stressful. And there is the question of self-image. Although I started suffering from dysmorphophobia before I started acting: I was 13 and I was obsessed with acne. Then the skin fell into place ».