So, picture this: you’re a third-year Ph.D. student drowning in research papers, caffeine, and existential dread. That’s Olive Smith. She’s allergic to long-term relationships (emotionally, not medically), but her best friend is a hopeless romantic. To convince said friend she’s not going to die alone with her petri dishes, Olive needs to prove she’s in a relationship.
Naturally, like any logical scientist under pressure, she panics… and falls for the first human she sees. That human? Dr. Adam Carlsen. Handsome, Brilliant. Intimidating. Also known around Stanford as “lab tyrant” and “walking HR complaint.”
Now, instead of screaming and calling security, Adam agrees to fake date her. Why? Science. Things go fine until a huge science conference throws Olive’s career into chaos, Adam steps in with knight-in-shining-lab-coat energy, and suddenly the fake relationship starts feeling a little too real. Basically, it’s love under a microscope… and yes, it’s about to explode.
AND NOW, the casting has been announced and it’s PERFECT!
Lili Reinhart takes on double duty as both leading actress and executive producer in the upcoming film, portraying Olive Smith, a Ph.D. candidate and self-proclaimed love skeptic. Reinhart is best known for her breakout role as Betty Cooper in Riverdale.
Starring opposite her is British actor Tom Bateman, recognized for his performance in Behind Her Eyes, who will play Olive’s professor, Dr. Adam Carlsen.
Joining the cast as Anh, Olive’s best friend and the catalyst for the story, is comedian and actress Rachel Marsh, recently seen in FX’s The Adults. Marsh will also appear in Apple’s The Morning Show and Prime Video’s Fallout.
Nicholas Duvernay, fresh from The White Lotus season 3, takes on the role of Jeremy, Olive’s ex-boyfriend from the original novel.
Comedian and actor Jaboukie Young-White will play Malcolm, Olive’s roommate in the book. This marks his second recent romantic comedy, following his upcoming role alongside Zoey Deutch, Ruby Cruz, and Jonah Hauer-King in The Threesome. Young-White also previously collaborated with director Claire Scanlon on the rom-com Set It Up.
Rounding out the cast is Arty Froushan, who will portray Tom, believed to be a reimagined version of Dr. Tom Benton, an associate professor at Harvard University and a close friend of Adam. Froushan’s past credits include Daredevil: Born Again, Downton Abbey, and SOULM8TE.
The Casting Coincidences Are Actually Unhinged
Let’s rewind. The Love Hypothesis was originally a Star Wars StarWars characters Rey and Kylo Ren. The readers and shippers called it Reylo.
Rey = Daisy Ridley.
Daisy Ridley’s husband = Tom Bateman (aka Dr. Adam in this film).
Now and if it isn’t crazier enough, add the fact that Lili Reinhart used to be a massive Reylo shipper… and is now starring opposite real-life Rey’s husband.
It’s basically like the fanfiction timeline folded in on itself and Hollywood just said, “Yeah, let’s roll with that.”
And here’s the cherry on top, Lili is actually bubbly and sunshine-y in real life, Tom is a broody “leave me alone” type, and every time she makes a TikTok with him, he looks like he’s silently questioning his life choices. Peak Dr. Adam behavior.
Also, unlike the “It Ends With Us” cast, this entire crew has actually read the book. Revolutionary.
Filming is already halfway done according to Lili’s TikTok, and fans are losing their minds. Between the fanfic origins, the accidental Reylo reunion energy, and the fact that the leads are playing exaggerated versions of themselves, The Love Hypothesis is shaping up to be a rom-com fever dream we can’t wait to watch.
