Whitney Wolfe Herd – the founder of the dating app Bumble – did not want her biopic, Swiped, to be made.
Whitney Wolfe Herd tried to “shut down” her biopic Swiped.
The 36-year-old entrepreneur – who is the founder of the dating app Bumble – did not want the story of her life and rise to become the world’s youngest billionaire to be told on the big screen.
Wolfe Herd told CNBC: “So, I can’t make it through the whole trailer, it’s too weird for me.
“No, I’m not involved in it. Frankly, I was informed about this movie after it was already off to the races.
“I think they had already written the script and done all these things. I even was asking my lawyer two years ago, like, ‘What do I do? I don’t want a movie about me. Shut it down!'”
However, Wolfe Herd’s lawyer had bad news for the businesswoman.
She recalled her lawyer saying: “‘There’s nothing you can do, you’re somewhat of a public figure, there’s public information out there, they’re going to do what they’re going to do.'”
Wolfe Herd feels both “terrified” and “slightly flattered” about the movie – which she does not know if she is going to watch yet.
The Bumble founder added: “I don’t know if I’m going to watch it or not.
“I’m, obviously, both terrified and maybe slightly flattered, but I think the strangeness and the fear of it outweighs any flattery.
“So, listen, we’ll just see. I guess I’ve got to get some popcorn and stay tuned.”
However, Wolfe Herd is delighted that Swiped’s producers cast Lily James, 36, to play her.
She said: “I’m honoured that they chose Lily James. She’s a very talented actress.”
Meanwhile, James recently said she felt “guilty” and a “bit of a fake” starring in Swiped, as she has never used a dating app.
The actress is quoted by the Sunday People newspaper as saying: “I feel guilty and a bit of a fake playing this creator of these apps, having never really done it.”
To get an idea of what it is like being on a dating app, the star used her friend’s phone to “research” for the newly-released movie.
James added: “But I did steal my friend’s phone in preparation for this film, for research.
“A lot of actually doing this movie kind of speaks to people.
“One of the long-term producers on this film met their partner on Bumble, and it’s pretty profound.”
And James – who dated former 42-year-old Doctor Who star Matt Smith from 2014 until 2019 – said she has always preferred to meet people in person.
The star added: “I am scared that we are losing this – a lost art of seeing someone in the bar and just catching their eye and going over.
“I hope that that doesn’t disappear.”
Whitney Wolfe Herd tried to ‘shut down’ Swiped film
