Whitney Wolfe Herd tried to 'shut down' Swiped film
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."
