Are they or aren’t they?
That’s been the question on the minds of “Riverdale” fans everywhere after reports circulated that actors Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart are dating IRL. The two play boyfriend and girlfriend for the cameras as Jughead and Betty on the hit CW series, but have yet to define their relationship status.
In a revealing new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the former Disney star finally responded to the rumors ― Reinhart had no comment ― giving fans some hope that Bughead lives on. He didn’t outright deny that a romance was brewing off-screen, but he did address the speculation for the first time, giving an answer that’s certainly up for interpretation.
“Since the show began, people have wanted Lili and I to be together,” Sprouse told Entertainment Weekly. “People have wanted Lili and Cami to be together. People have wanted KJ and I to be together. People have wanted every actor on this show to be in a union that they could make real and talk about. So I think that kind of discussion, especially because it’s based so much on rumor and hearsay, needs to be taken with a grain of salt. We’re all still human lives that are interacting with the source material. But, truthfully, it’s very pleasing that people talk about Lili and I in that way because it means that we’re resonating so strongly from our character perspective that people really want that to be true.”
“I think as professional actors we can pat ourselves on the back for that and go, ‘This was a success,’” he continued. “It was such a success that people want to see it in real life.”
Rumors of a real-life romance between the co-stars swirled earlier this year, after the two were spotted “canoodling, holding hands and kissing” at a Comic-Con after party. A heartfelt birthday post here, and a loving Instagram photo there only fueled further interest about their relationship.
When we caught up with Reinhart earlier this year, she also took a hard pass on speaking about the issue, but she did express frustration about the frenzy surrounding her personal life.
“Sometimes people will approach me on the street and ask me very personal questions about my dating life. Fans talk to me like they know me, and it’s like, you don’t know me. You know my character, but you really don’t know me,” Reinhart told HuffPost. “I want people to know who I am, but that doesn’t mean you get to know everything about me and my life. I think that there’s a fine line.”
Message received.
“Riverdale” returns for a second season Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.
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