Lily James recently caught up with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff during the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where she opened up about her starring role in Swiped. The film dives deep into Whitney Wolfe Herd’s fascinating ascent from Tinder co-founder to the powerhouse behind Bumble. Joining James on screen are Dan Stevens and Dermot Mulroney in this compelling narrative that unpacks how one woman revolutionized digital romance.
Bringing Whitney Wolfe Herd to Life
Rachel Lee Goldenberg’s Swiped (known for Unpregnant) places Lily James at the center of Whitney Wolfe Herd’s remarkable transformation. From her early days helping build Tinder to launching the app that would crown her the world’s youngest female billionaire, Wolfe Herd’s story demanded both vulnerability and strength from James.
The actress found herself in a particularly tricky spot—she couldn’t reach out to Wolfe Herd directly because of legal restrictions. “I had to dig into my own understanding of what it means to be a woman fighting for space in tech,” James shared during their conversation. She knew the weight of representing someone who’d changed how millions connect, and that responsibility shaped every choice she made on set.
What struck James most was imagining the isolation Wolfe Herd might have felt while building something groundbreaking in Silicon Valley’s boys’ club atmosphere. She wanted her performance to capture both the innovation and the grit it took to survive—and thrive—in that world.
Research Mode and Creative Boundaries
Without direct access to her subject, James had to become something of a detective herself. She pored over interviews, studied footage, and tried to piece together the emotional landscape behind Wolfe Herd’s professional achievements. The actress admits this approach felt both liberating and daunting—she could bring her own interpretation while staying true to the essence of someone who’d shifted entire industries.
James hopes viewers will walk away understanding just how much courage it took to challenge established players like Tinder. “Whitney didn’t just create another dating app,” she explained. “She rebuilt the whole conversation around how people should treat each other online.”
Producer Hat On
These days, James wears multiple hats in Hollywood. Through Paradise Productions, she’s actively seeking stories that deserve bigger platforms. Swiped represents exactly the kind of project she wants to champion—one that celebrates women who refuse to accept the status quo.
She also dropped hints about what’s coming next. Her action thriller Cliffhanger has demanded intense physical preparation, while her upcoming collaboration with Sebastian Stan in Let the Evil Go West promises something entirely different. James seems energized by the variety, jumping between genres and roles behind the camera.
September Release and Broader Conversations
When Swiped hits American screens on September 19, 2025, audiences will get an inside look at the forces that reshaped modern romance. The film doesn’t shy away from the messier aspects of startup culture or the personal costs of innovation.
James and Nemiroff’s full conversation covers everything from Silicon Valley’s notorious work environment to the actress’s personal relationship with dating apps. She also revealed which apps she actually uses and shared behind-the-scenes moments with her co-stars that didn’t make it into the final cut.
What emerges from Swiped is a portrait of someone who saw a problem and refused to accept it as inevitable. James captures that restless energy—the sense that a simple swipe could become a statement about respect, agency, and what we expect from each other in digital spaces.
