Lily James’ secret life on Bumble and Tinder revealed

Lily James is swapping glass slippers for boardrooms in what may be her boldest role yet stepping into the shoes of Bumble and Tinder founder Whitney Wolfe Herd in the hotly anticipated biopic Swiped. 

The film charts Wolfe Herd’s meteoric rise from battling entrenched sexism in Silicon Valley to making history as the youngest self made female billionaire.

At the London premiere, James wore a black strapless gown and admitted that embodying Wolfe Herd was as demanding as it was inspiring.

“No matter what happens, no matter what hard times you hit, it’s what you do with it,” the Downton Abbey actress told HELLO!. 

“Whitney turned challenges into real impact. She didn’t just build a company, she helped shift culture and I found that incredibly powerful.”

For James, Herd’s story felt deeply relatable, mirroring the high stakes, male-dominated environment she herself has navigated in Hollywood. 

“Sadly, it’s not a singular experience,” she added. “When women read the script, or the crew or audience watch it, they’ll feel seen.”

The actress’s extensive preparation for the role included even venturing onto dating apps undercover proof that, like Wolfe Herd herself, James was ready to go the extra mile to make her mark.

She revealed just how much effort went into capturing the spirit of the Bumble founder. 

“I didn’t want to mimic her,” she explained. “But I wanted to channel something of her essence, her spirit.”

I love prep as an actor because it gives you the opportunity to find the character,” she said.