Lili Reinhart says 'The Love Hypothesis' scene needed to feel ‘startling’

Lili Reinhart explains why 'The Love Hypothesis' sexual harassment scene was important and handled with care

Lili Reinhart has opened up about filming a sexual harassment scene in The Love Hypothesis, explaining why she and co-star Arty Froushan wanted to portray the moment realistically.

Reinhart plays Olive in the Prime Video adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling novel. In the film, Olive is confronted by Dr Benton, played by Froushan, who makes an inappropriate demand related to her career.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Reinhart said the cast and crew approached the scene carefully while recognising its importance to the story.

“We handled it with as much care as possible,” Reinhart said, explaining that an intimacy coordinator was “on standby” during filming in case she or Froushan felt uncomfortable.

The actress said she and Froushan did not want to avoid the difficult scene because it represents an issue that can occur in real life. She also described the moment as “startling” in Hazelwood’s original novel and said the film aimed to preserve that impact.

The movie changes some details from the book. In the novel, Benton confronts Olive after she gives a speech at a Boston science conference, while the film moves the confrontation to Olive’s hotel room.

Reinhart also attended a fan screening of The Love Hypothesis and said she was pleased by the audience’s strong reaction to the scene and their investment in Olive’s experience.

The actress has also discussed filming the movie’s intimate scenes with co-star Tom Bateman, who plays Olive’s love interest, Dr Adam Carlsen. Reinhart said the crew created a private environment with only a small group of people present.

Bateman said the pair regularly checked in with each other while filming the intimate scenes.

The Love Hypothesis is now streaming on Prime Video.