NEWSLili Reinhart Says Late Actress Brittany Murphy Means 'a Lot to Her' as She Pays Tribute With 'Uptown Girls' Dress Rewear
Lili Reinhart's 'The Love Hypothesis' press tour has doubled as a celebration of the romantic comedies and leading ladies she grew up loving.
Sept. 23 2026, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Lili Reinhart is honoring one of the actresses who helped inspire her love of romantic comedies.
The Riverdale alum, 30, opened up about what the late Brittany Murphy means to her after recreating one of Murphy's most memorable looks from the 2003 movie Uptown Girls during her press tour for The Love Hypothesis.
Lili Reinhart Says Brittany Murphy Means 'a Lot to Her'
Brittany Murphy was just 32 when she died in 2009, leaving behind memorable roles in movies like 'Clueless,' 'Just Married' and 'Uptown Girls.'
Reinhart reflected on the significance of getting to honor Murphy while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Being able to wear that dress and pay homage to someone [who] means a lot to me and means a lot to so many people [was an honor]," she said.
Murphy died in 2009 at just 32 years old, but her performances in films including Uptown Girls continue to resonate with fans years later.
Lili Reinhart Recreated Brittany Murphy's 'Uptown Girls' Look
Brittany Murphy wore the now-iconic floral Blumarine dress as free-spirited Molly Gunn in the 2003 comedy 'Uptown Girls.'
For the tribute, Reinhart wore the same Blumarine design Murphy famously sported as Molly Gunn in Uptown Girls.
The floral dress came from Blumarine's Spring/Summer 2002 collection and was sourced from Rebe Archive for Reinhart's look. She completed the homage by styling her blonde hair similarly to Murphy's in the movie.
Lili Reinhart Has Dreamed of Wearing the Dress Since Childhood
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Lili Reinhart revealed she had dreamed of wearing Brittany Murphy's 'Uptown Girls' dress since first seeing it when she was 7 years old.
The fashion moment was particularly special for Reinhart because she has loved the look since she was a child.
"A genuine dream dress since the day I first saw it when I was 7 years old," Reinhart wrote on Instagram while sharing photos of herself in the archival piece.
She also referenced Uptown Girls in her caption, writing, "I don't see any grownups around here."
Lili Reinhart Has Been Honoring Rom-Com Icons
The former 'Riverdale' star has also used her recent wardrobe to pay tribute to rom-com favorites including 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' and '13 Going on 30.'
Murphy isn't the only beloved leading lady Reinhart has celebrated during her Love Hypothesis press tour.
Working with stylist Ib Abdel Nasser, Reinhart has used her promotional wardrobe to reference some of her favorite movie fashion moments, including looks associated with Kate Hudson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Drew Barrymore in Ever After and Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality.
She also channeled Jennifer Garner's Jenna Rink while celebrating her 30th birthday.
Lili Reinhart Is Entering Her Own Rom-Com Era
Lili Reinhart stars opposite Tom Bateman in 'The Love Hypothesis,' an adaptation of Ali Hazelwood's bestselling romance novel.
Reinhart's string of nostalgic looks coincides with her starring role in The Love Hypothesis, based on Ali Hazelwood's bestselling 2021 novel.
The actress plays biology Ph.D. candidate Olive Smith opposite Tom Bateman in the romantic comedy, which arrives on Prime Video on September 23. Reinhart also serves as a producer on the project.
Her Murphy tribute brought the press tour full circle, allowing Reinhart to celebrate one of the performers who made an impression on her long before she became a rom-com leading lady herself.
