Defined Magazine

Lily James On Her Terms

8th September, 2025

Words by Emily Zemler

Photos by Rachell Smith

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By the end of our conversation, Lily James is satisfied and self-deprecating in equal measure. “I think we’ve covered both my films and my existential crisis,” she says with a slight grin. But you would be hard-pressed to describe James as being in the midst of any kind of crisis. The London-based actress, 36, made a series of compelling movies and launched her own production company after earning accolades—and an Emmy nomination—for portraying Pamela Anderson in TV series Pam & Tommy. She released Relay, vintage thriller with Riz Ahmed in August, and Swiped, a biopic about Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd and the alleged sexual harassment she endured at her former company Tinder, releases this month. It’s Swiped that really galvanized James, who both starred in and produced the film with her newly-launched company Parodos Productions.

“It was pre-[actors] strike that I first read the script and I remember being so taken aback by Whitney Wolfe’s story,” James recalls, speaking from her home in London, which she has recently finished renovating. “I was really unfamiliar. Dating apps are so a part of our culture, whether you like it or not—they determine and dictate a lot of how we meet people. So learning about the story of this woman who was a part of that inception, not only at Bumble but also Tinder, and this phenomenal journey of growth she goes through to become such a formidable, innovative entrepreneur, and facing real adversity and challenges, which she overcame, I found deeply inspiring.”

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James was so moved by the script, written by director Rachel Lee Goldenberg alongside Bill Parker and Kim Caramele, that she decided she wanted to not only play Wolfe Herd, but also to be part of the film’s behind-the-scenes process. “I really wanted to have a real voice in this given what it's about and who it's about,” she notes. James had executive produced 2021 limited series The Pursuit of Love, but Swiped marked her first endeavor as an actual hands-on producer. She formed Parodos with Gala Gordon, a friend from drama school. “Moving forward we want to tell stories [and] champion stories of female resilience and this very much was a part of the fabric of building our company,” James says.

As an actor, James did a lot of preparation to play Wolfe Herd—something she says she does with all of her roles, not just the ones based on real people. Because Wolfe Herd remains under an NDA after settling with Tinder, neither James nor the other filmmakers met with her or spoke to her. Instead, all of the script details came from what was publicly available. James repeatedly watched Wolfe Herd’s 2023 Masterclass, mimicking the founder’s speech and mannerisms until they felt natural.

“I watched every podcast, read everything I could about her, and really tried to capture the essence of her, which was both through her achievements and endeavoring to champion her legacy, but also trying to understand who she is as a woman,” James says. “Which is purely my interpretation and my exploration of her and using my imagination to try and step into her shoes and her experience and dramatize that in our film.”

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Swiped follows Wolfe Herd from her early days at Tinder, where she was vice president of marketing, to the founding of Bumble in 2014. She created Bumble as a response to issues she had at the male-dominated Tinder, which Wolfe Herd sued for sexual harassment shortly after resigning. The dating app focused on empowering women who were unprotected on Tinder, and Wolfe Herd wanted to ensure her female-led team had a voice, as is inspirationally-conveyed in the film. James wanted to portray Wolfe Herd’s entrepreneurial spirit and bravery in the film.

“I was really trying to pick up on: What's her life force? What excites her?” James says. “Trying to really tap into all the intricate details. One of the things I was really enamored by and inspired by was this great light and life force and energy, which I think all great entrepreneurs and leaders have. She’s very mission-led watching. It’s very difficult because I don't want to speak for her. This is all very much my own interpretation of her, but I felt there was an essence in her and an unstoppable courage. Whitney's publicly spoken about her experiences in a very vulnerable way, which I think is very inspiring, especially for other women [and] to inspire other women.

On a more personal level, Wolfe Herd’s story strongly resonated with James. “Whitney’s story is a poignant example of resilience despite the adversity she faced,” the actress says. “She experienced and observed toxicity and bullying online, harnessed this, and created an app to change that, Bumble, to protect and empower women. She changed the game. She campaigned and testified at the Texas House Senate—a scene we recreate in our film—in support of Texas House Bill 2789, aimed at criminalizing the sending of unsolicited lewd photos and it was signed into law in 2019, making her a proponent of online safety and accountability legislation. Everyone experiences challenges in life both personal and professional, but what I hope to take with me forever, and what I’ve learnt by playing Whitney is [that] it is what you do with those experiences that matters.”

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Because of the subject matter of the film, James felt a responsibility to understand the world of dating apps. She admits that she “stole” a friend’s phone and “went in hard on her Bumble.” “I really wanted to understand in my pretending that I'm the creator of Bumble,” James says. “So I played on her app and it was really cool. It felt very innovative. I’d been on her Hinge before too, actually, just when I’d had too many glasses of wine. But I had to get in the headspace of the dating apps in order to play Whitney. And, particularly, what was so cool is the way she re-engineered Bumble [where] women make the first move and it puts women in the driver's seat. That side of making women protected as much as possible was something I needed to understand and explore.”

Being on set as the producer as well as the star was challenging, but deeply fulfilling for James. She admits to being less confident outside of work, but all of that uncertainty dissipated while making Swiped. “As a human being in normal life, outside of my work, at times I can feel insecure or struggle to articulate myself at times,” she says. “Whereas in a work situation when I believe in something, I find great clarity and strength there, and I will always endeavor to stand up for what I believe in. On set, we had this amazing group of female producers and a team, and so I felt like we were all able to really collectively discuss this film and work on the script and rewrites and casting and who we wanted as each head of department and the atmosphere we wanted on set. I loved that side of it.”

She adds, with a small laugh, “But I have to say it's hard.” Not long after shooting Swiped in Los Angeles, James flew to Austria to headline in a reimagining of thriller Cliffhanger, which also stars Pierce Brosnan. She did extensive physical training for the role and also executive produced the film. It was her suggestion that director Jaume Collet-Serra bring climber and cinematographer Renan Ozturk onboard to bring an added authenticity to the action. After that, James shot another film, Harmonia, in Vancouver, only returning to London days before this interview at the end of August. She’s admittedly exhausted.

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“But it’s such a gift to be involved in all aspects of the filmmaking,” she says. “With Swiped being in the edit was extraordinary. Understanding how you weave the story together, and the difference an extra breath makes at the end of the frame or when you choose to stay with the character or come away from a character—I love that side of it. But navigating it all, producing and compromising and building a story, beyond just showing up and acting, is a lot.”

As James built Parodos Productions behind the scenes, she was inspired by Wolfe Herd, who she describes as “a compassionate, innovative, mission-led entrepreneur.” “Her tenacity and belief in herself and others, was a very special and inspiring character trait to harness as an actor,” James notes. “On a professional level, it felt symbiotic, as at the same time as working on Swiped, I was building my production company [and our] mission is to champion stories of female resilience. I hope to pour some of the brilliance I learned from Whitney into my company.”

She adds, “On a personal level, her courage and unwavering conviction, despite the challenges she faced, struck me to the core. This is a quality to which I hope to hold on tight.” Indeed, it’s not hard to see the parallels between the public scrutiny around Wolfe Herd and the media obsession with James, who has dealt with her share of aggressive headlines. She explains that all of her roles are a response to something, good or bad.

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“I love stepping into characters’ shoes, learning, and at times losing myself in the process,” she says. “You’re given a finite amount of time to become forensic—garnering all the information possible to formulate your character, and then on set, let it all go and play. There is a moment of great freedom when it feels as though the character and the story take the lead.”

She continues, “I've always used my work as a way of exploring where I'm at in my life, things I might have experienced, things that trouble me, things that I want to provoke a conversation around,” she says. “That’s always my process, and I've always wanted my art to speak for what matters to me. I'm sure if you track most actors’ careers you can see their work as a response to something or as a way of working through something. I think acting is deeply cathartic. I remember talking to a therapist once about that, about how as as an actor you have to bring back down your nervous system. Because when you’re in the middle of a scene your nervous system doesn't really know the difference between whether it's really happening or not.”

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That’s true, too, when the love is uplifting or joyful. “There's such heights,” James acknowledges. “There's such emotional and mental gymnastics.” These days, she’s looking to push herself, which is why she keeps taking on such projects. Her next film, Subversion, is another action flick, with James set to play a Coast Guard officer pursuing a renegade submarine. “Having now created my production company, I can take agency and tell those stories that feel really meaningful and important or fun or whatever it is,” she says. “I’m about to go do Subversion, which is going to be a completely different experience. It's all about keeping things fresh and versatile.”

James admits that anxiety came come along with acting, especially when she’s trying something new. But that also allows her to feel true growth. “There's a gift of standing opposite another actor who's entirely present and engaged with you in a moment of an imaginative leap,” she says. “You're creating this little bubble in this world, and it feels fully real and connected. That feeling is is awesome. I feel so alive in those moments and those are the moments I seek and crave in my work—an extraordinary feeling of being extra alive because you're so present. At times, I’ve been much more successful at meditating and trying to live my life not fearful of what's coming or focusing on what's past. Acting forces you into the present.”

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Throughout our conversation, James quotes two artists who have inspired her: David Bowie and Cate Blanchett. She recalls Blanchett once describing her career as “getting comfortable with the feeling of being uncomfortable.” But it’s Bowie’s assertion that fear is a great driver of creativity and artistry that compels James.

“I love a challenge and I want to surprise myself,” she says. “I want to believe that I can do it or that I can push the boundaries of what I think I'm capable of and that I can transform. I've always admired actors and filmmakers who jump from one genre to the next. David Bowie said, ‘Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.’ I do think that's true and that's the part of me I try to listen to.”

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For James, challenge and success have always come hand in hand. But she enjoys pushing herself and it’s something she recommends to others, regardless of their profession. “Never give up,” she says when asked what advice she would give to young women who are trying to find their voices in creative industries. “Whatever life throws at you, you will find your path and your people. Lean on your tribe, as they will always hold you. I hope this film inspires you to fulfill your dreams. Swiped highlights the strength, resilience, and innovation of women—especially in the entrepreneurial space. It shines a light on the ways women are driving change, building opportunities and inspiring others to follow their lead.”

Swiped will debut exclusively September 19, 2025 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in all other territories.