Lili Reinhart Says Cole Sprouse Helps the Riverdale Cast Navigate Fame

The CW’s hit show Riverdale made overnight sensations of its stars, including Lili Reinhart, who plays good girl with a dark side, Betty Cooper. But navigating fame as a young person with an even younger fan base can be tricky. So it helps that co-star Cole Sprouse, who plays artsy Jughead Jones, has been there, done that, and can help captain the rest of the cast through it.

Cole and his twin brother, Dylan, have been acting since they were kids on shows like Friends and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, which Reinhart says is a huge help to her and the Riverdale gang. “[Cole] really brings us down to earth if we’re feeling like something we’ve said is being taken out of context,” she told People of her costar and rumored boyfriend. “He’s always the one to be like, ‘Just ignore it. It will blow over.’ It’s a nice, calming energy he has because you know that he’s been through it.”

He’s basically the zen leader of the Riverdale cast it seem. Their in house Buddhist-like monk with the wisdom that one only achieves while growing up in the Mickey Mouse factory and surviving it seems.

Meanwhile, Cole and Lili have yet to confirm or deny any romance speculation; when asked about it directly, they opt for a quick no comment—but they’ve been spotted vacationing together in Hawaii and have been known to post pics of each other on Instagram. Fans are especially keen on their rumored romance because Betty and Jughead (“Bughead”) are together on the show, and the two actors have real chemistry.

Reinhart also opened up to Ocean Drive about using her own struggles to relate to perfectionist Betty. “Betty is the girl next door but there’s a dark side…But she’s optimistic even when she is going through the hardest things. There’s always a light inside her that can’t go out, and that’s beautiful,” she explained, adding, “What I bring to Betty is her real anxiety about things and the stress she’s under because I get easily overwhelmed and stressed out. I have anxiety.” Her anxiety reached its peak when Reinhart, fresh out of high school, first moved to Los Angeles and had trouble finding consistent acting work. She ended up moving back in with her family for a few months and seeing a therapist, who helped her rebuild her self-image and return to Los Angeles with a renewed sense of purpose.

Still, just because she’s now a success doesn’t mean her life is perfect. “Even now I’m on this wonderful show. I have money in my bank account. I have my own apartment. I have friends. I still go through and experience depression,” says Reinhart. “You don’t have to be ashamed of it. You don’t need to ever justify the way you feel.”

Related: Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart Declares “I Am Not Betty Cooper,” and Speaks Candidly About Her Struggles with Anxiety