Lily James on Telling the Story of Bumble With Swiped
Lily James has spent much of her career embodying complex women on screen, from the spirited heroine of Cinderella to the bold transformation in Pam & Tommy. With her latest project Swiped, she takes on a new challenge not just as an actor, but also as a producer on the feature film.
James explained that her involvement began when she received an early draft of the script. The film tells the story of Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder of Bumble, and James was immediately struck by the potential. “I connected so strongly to Whitney’s journey,” she said. “From the very beginning, it felt important for me to be involved not only as an actor, but also as a producer to help shape how her story was told.”
That dual role gave James a seat at the table throughout the film’s development. She worked closely with the creative team on script revisions and thematic direction, helping ensure the narrative captured both Wolfe Herd’s professional achievements and the personal complexities behind them. “What I found so compelling is how the film shows the risks and resilience it takes to create something revolutionary,” James noted.
The project had a long road to the screen, with producers nurturing the story for years before James signed on. Her early commitment as both performer and producer accelerated momentum and brought clarity to the film’s vision. “It was an ongoing dialogue,” she explained. “We kept asking ourselves how to tell this story in a way that feels authentic, powerful, and relatable.”
As an actor, James found Wolfe Herd’s journey particularly resonant. The character grapples with issues of identity, ambition, and resilience in a male-dominated industry. “It’s not just about an app or a company,” James emphasized. “It’s about a woman who took her own experiences and created something that could change the landscape for others. That courage is what really drew me in.”
For James, stepping into producing feature films felt like a natural progression. The experience deepened her creative perspective and broadened her understanding of how stories come together. “I learned so much from being part of those conversations on the other side of the camera,” she reflected. “It gives you a new appreciation for just how collaborative filmmaking is.”
With Swiped, Lily James not only delivers a commanding performance but also helps shape the narrative from inception to screen. The result is a film that shines a light on an influential figure while marking an important evolution in James’s own career.
