Lili Reinhart Recalls On-Set Comment About Her Body, Reflects on Industry Pressures
Lili Reinhart said a director once told her to “suck in your stomach a little bit” while filming, describing the moment as part of a broader pattern of pressure she has experienced around body image while working in television.
The comment came up during a recent conversation with castmates from her project Forbidden Fruit, where Reinhart shared the experience in front of fellow actors, including Victoria Pedretti, Haley Lu Richardson, Lola Tung, and Alexandra Shipp. The group reacted strongly to the story, urging her to identify the director involved, though Reinhart said she would only share the name privately.
While she did not specify when the incident occurred or which production it happened on, Reinhart has previously spoken about the pressures she faced earlier in her career, particularly during her time on Riverdale, where she played Betty Cooper.
In past interviews, she has described struggling with body dysmorphia and an eating disorder during that period. Reflecting on filming later seasons of the show, she said her internal focus was often dominated by concerns about her appearance rather than the work itself. She characterized that time as one in which she felt mentally disconnected during scenes due to constant self-scrutiny.
Reinhart has also used her platform to speak more broadly about unrealistic body standards in the entertainment industry. In 2023, she wrote on social media about the lack of representation for what she described as “average-sized” bodies, noting that certain body ideals commonly portrayed in media are difficult or unrealistic for many people to maintain.
Her comments align with a wider conversation within the film and television industry about how actors, particularly women, are directed, styled, and spoken to on set. In recent years, performers have increasingly shared accounts of inappropriate or unnecessary remarks about their bodies, contributing to ongoing discussions about workplace standards and boundaries.
Reinhart did not frame the incident as an isolated experience, but rather as part of an environment where physical appearance is often subject to scrutiny. While some productions have introduced guidelines around intimacy coordination and on-set conduct, there is less formal structure addressing comments related to body image, which can still be shaped by individual directors or production cultures.
The exchange with her castmates also highlighted a generational shift in how such moments are received. The immediate reactions from those present reflect a growing willingness among actors to challenge behavior that might previously have gone unaddressed.
Reinhart has continued to incorporate discussions of mental health and self-image into her public work, including interviews, writing, and social media. Her comments about the on-set incident add to that body of work, offering a specific example of how those issues can manifest in professional settings.
