If you spent any time on the internet between 2017 and 2020, you couldn't escape them. Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart weren't just a couple; they were a cultural reset for a specific corner of the fandom world. For seven years, they played the iconic Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper on Riverdale, transforming a CW teen drama into a global obsession.
But behind the neon lights of Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, the reality was a lot messier. People are still talking about them in 2026 for a reason. It wasn’t just a breakup. It was a long-term lesson in what happens when your first real adult love is also your 9-to-5 coworker.
Why Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart Still Dominate the Conversation
Look, we've all had that one ex we had to see at work or school every day. Now imagine doing that while millions of people are "shipping" you and analyzing every blink in a junket interview. That's the baseline for what these two dealt with.
The obsession started with a single Instagram post in March 2017. Cole, a talented photographer, posted a shot of Lili in a field of flowers. No caption was needed. The internet basically imploded. By the time they walked the Met Gala red carpet in 2018, "Sprousehart" was the biggest thing on social media.
They were notoriously private. Lili once told Harpers Bazaar that she wasn't okay talking about her love story. Honestly, who can blame her? But that privacy backfired. It created a vacuum that fans filled with wild theories and, eventually, a lot of toxicity.
The Call Her Daddy Fallout and the "Damage" Done
Fast forward to March 2023. Riverdale was finally winding down, and Cole sat down with Alex Cooper for an episode of Call Her Daddy. You probably remember the memes—Cole smoking a cigarette indoors, looking like a noir detective.
He didn't hold back. He admitted that the relationship lasted way longer than it should have.
"I think, if I had loved myself a little more, I probably would have left a little earlier," Cole shared.
He also dropped a bombshell: they did "quite a bit of damage" to each other. He didn't specify exactly what that meant—no one’s accusing anyone of anything criminal—but it painted a picture of two young people who stayed in a "heavy" situation because they were stuck on a set together.
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The backlash was instant. Fans felt he was throwing Lili under the bus. But from a human perspective, he was just being blunt. It’s hard to heal from a breakup when you have to kiss that person on camera for the next three years. That’s not a normal human experience.
Where They Stand Today: The 2026 Reality
It’s 2026, and the dust has finally settled. They’ve both moved on, and frankly, they seem a lot happier for it.
- Cole Sprouse has been with model Ari Fournier since January 2021. He often talks about how this relationship showed him what "real compatibility" looks like. He's called himself the "spouse-less Sprouse" (since his twin Dylan married Barbara Palvin), but he’s in no rush to change that.
- Lili Reinhart is currently in her "lover girl era" with actor and TikTok star Jack Martin. They’ve been together since 2023. Lili recently told Marie Claire that she’s a "domestic woman" who just wants to sit on the couch with her person and her dog.
Why It Matters
The story of Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart is a cautionary tale about the "workplace romance" turned up to eleven. It shows the danger of tying your personal identity to a public brand. When they broke up, fans didn't just lose a couple; they felt like they lost a part of the show.
What You Can Learn From the Sprousehart Era
If you're looking for the "actionable" takeaway from this years-long saga, it’s about boundaries.
- Don't ignore the expiration date. Cole admitted they stayed together too long because of external pressure. If a relationship feels heavy, it probably is.
- Privacy is a double-edged sword. Keeping things quiet protects you, but it also lets the public write their own narrative.
- Workplace boundaries are vital. If you're dating a coworker, have a "breakup plan." It sounds cynical, but as these two proved, the "no distance" rule makes moving on nearly impossible.
The reality is that they were just two people in their early twenties trying to figure it out under a microscope. They aren't villains or victims; they're just exes who had a very loud, very public transition into adulthood.
If you want to keep up with their current projects, Lili is focusing on her production company, Small Victory Productions, and Cole continues to balance acting with his high-end photography. They've successfully separated their lives, which is probably the biggest win of all.
Next Steps for You:
Check out Lili Reinhart’s poetry book Swimming Lessons for a look at how she processed her emotions during those years. Or, if you're into the technical side of things, look at Cole’s photography portfolio to see the work he was doing while filming the show. It gives a lot of context to his headspace during the height of the fame.