‘Riverdale’ Stars Lili Reinhart And Camila Mendes Faced Pay Equality Issues

Lili Reinhart’s fans know that the actress tends to be honest, and she didn’t hold back when asked about pay equality. In fact, she revealed that she and co- star Camila Mendes have had to fight for equal pay on “Riverdale,” the CW’s hit adaptation of the Archie comics.

“Cami and I have had to deal with that from Riverdale," Reinhart told Allure when asked about pay equality.

The actress, who has played Betty Cooper since the show launched in 2017, didn’t go into detail about what exactly the issue was. It seems like if there was an issue with women being paid less, it was in the first season. By the time “Riverdale” Season 2 was airing, Reinhart and Mendes were being paid $40,000 per episode, the same amount KJ Apa and Cole Sprouse were making, Variety reported in 2018.

The struggle gave Reinhart more confidence for salary negotiations elsewhere. “Going into projects in the future, I'm much more aware of it. So is my lawyer,” she told Allure in her March cover story.

She appreciates veteran actresses sharing their experiences and advice. She revealed that Michelle Williams and Taraji P. Henson’s public statements have been helpful. “I was taking notes,” she explained. “Taraji Henson had said something like, when she renegotiated for ‘Empire,’ she knew her value to the show. She knew what that value was, and she demanded it.”

Reinhart and Mendes are just as essential to "Riverdale" as Sprouse and Apa. As the core four of the show, it's hard to see the CW drama being able to continue without them. That gives them some leverage in negotiations.

While “Riverdale” kickstarted her career, it’s important to note that Reinhart has amassed quite a following since then. She has 22 million followers on Instagram and another 2.9 million on Twitter. She starred in the critically-acclaimed movie “Hustlers” last fall and will headline the YA adaptation “Chemical Hearts” this summer. She’ll also become a published author this spring when her poetry book, “Swimming Lessons,” releases in May.

“I do know the value that I bring as someone who attracts an audience,” Reinhart said. “And I’m not going to accept less than what I think I’m worth. And it’s okay to fight for what I’m worth.”