The cast of the love hypothesis has officially brought Ali Hazelwood’s popular romance novel to the screen, with Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman leading the 2026 Prime Video movie. The film premiered globally on Prime Video on September 23, 2026, and is now available to stream.
Reinhart plays Olive Smith, a Stanford Ph.D. candidate whose impulsive decision leads to a fake relationship with intimidating professor Dr. Adam Carlsen, played by Bateman.
The movie also features Rachel Marsh as Anh Pham, Jaboukie Young-White as Malcolm Browne, Nicholas Duvernay as Jeremy Langley and Arty Froushan as Dr. Thomas Benton.
Claire Scanlon directed the film, while Sarah Rothschild wrote the screenplay. Hazelwood, the author of the original novel, also serves as an executive producer.
The adaptation has attracted attention because the book already has a large romance readership. The movie brings its central characters, academic setting and fake-dating storyline to a streaming audience.
Lili Reinhart as Olive Smith
Lili Reinhart leads the movie as Olive Smith.
Olive is a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford who focuses on scientific research. She is intelligent, ambitious and determined to build a future in academia.
Her personal situation becomes complicated when she tries to convince her best friend Anh that she has moved on from her crush.
Olive makes an impulsive decision and kisses a man she believes can help her create that impression.
She soon discovers that the man is Dr. Adam Carlsen.
Adam is not an ordinary stranger.
He is a respected professor with a reputation for being intimidating and difficult.
The unexpected encounter eventually develops into a fake-dating arrangement between Olive and Adam.
Reinhart’s role places her at the center of both the romantic storyline and the film’s academic setting.
The character also gives the actress an opportunity to move into a different type of romantic comedy after her well-known television role.
Reinhart became widely recognized for playing Betty Cooper on Riverdale, which ran for seven seasons from 2017 to 2023.
Her film credits include Chemical Hearts and Look Both Ways.
For The Love Hypothesis, Reinhart also serves as an executive producer.
She has spoken publicly about the importance of representing women working in science through Olive’s character.
Tom Bateman as Dr. Adam Carlsen
Tom Bateman plays Dr. Adam Carlsen, Olive’s fake boyfriend and the film’s male lead.
Adam is a Stanford professor known for his demanding personality.
He initially appears very different from Olive.
Olive is more spontaneous and emotionally expressive, while Adam has a serious and reserved personality.
Their relationship begins under unusual circumstances.
Olive needs to prove that she has moved on from Jeremy.
After their unexpected kiss, she and Adam eventually agree to pretend they are dating.
The arrangement creates a situation where they must behave like a couple even though their relationship began as an act.
Bateman brings considerable film and television experience to the role.
He has appeared in Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile.
His television credits include Da Vinci’s Demons and Based on a True Story.
The actor’s performance as Adam is central to the movie because the character’s relationship with Olive drives the main story.
Rachel Marsh as Anh Pham
Rachel Marsh plays Anh Pham, Olive’s best friend.
Anh is one of the most important supporting characters in the story.
Her friendship with Olive helps set the central plot in motion.
Anh develops feelings for Jeremy, who is also connected to Olive.
Olive therefore decides to make a dramatic move to convince Anh that she no longer has romantic feelings for Jeremy.
That decision eventually brings Adam into Olive’s life.
Marsh’s role also highlights the friendship at the heart of the story.
The relationship between Olive and Anh is not simply a background element.
Their friendship motivates several of Olive’s biggest decisions.
Marsh has appeared in projects including Fallout, The Morning Show and Adults.
She has also discussed how reading Hazelwood’s novel helped her understand Anh before filming began.
Jaboukie Young-White as Malcolm Browne
Jaboukie Young-White plays Malcolm Browne.
Malcolm is part of the supporting cast surrounding Olive and Adam.
Young-White is known for his work as a comedian, writer and actor.
His credits include Ralph Breaks the Internet, Strange World and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
He has also appeared on television and in other comedy projects.
His casting adds another recognizable performer to the ensemble.
Malcolm’s role connects to the academic and social world surrounding the central characters.
Nicholas Duvernay as Jeremy Langley
Nicholas Duvernay plays Jeremy Langley.
Jeremy is the person connected to the romantic situation that motivates Olive’s initial plan.
Anh has feelings for Jeremy, while Olive also has a history of feelings for him.
Olive’s desire to convince Anh that she has moved on becomes the reason she kisses Adam.
Jeremy therefore plays an important role in the beginning of the story even though the central romance develops between Olive and Adam.
Duvernay has appeared in television and film projects, including Reminders of Him.
His role in The Love Hypothesis places him inside the complicated relationship dynamic involving Olive and Anh.
Arty Froushan as Dr. Thomas Benton
Arty Froushan plays Dr. Thomas Benton.
Benton is part of the academic environment surrounding Olive and Adam.
Froushan is known for his work in film, television and theater.
He appeared in House of the Dragon and The Diplomat.
He has also worked extensively on stage.
His role adds another established performer to the movie’s academic ensemble.
Thomas Benton is among the characters who help establish the professional environment in which Olive’s research and career ambitions develop.
Jeananne Goossen as Dr. Juliet Aslan
Jeananne Goossen appears as Dr. Juliet Aslan.
The character is part of the film’s university and scientific world.
Goossen has built a television career across dramas, medical series and other genres.
Her credits include The Night Agent, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Flash.
She also appeared in Remedy.
Her role contributes to the film’s broader group of academic characters.
The university setting is important because Olive’s scientific career remains closely connected to the story.
Aladeen Tawfeek as Dr. Eugene Fastuca
Aladeen Tawfeek plays Dr. Eugene Fastuca.
Fastuca is another academic figure in the movie.
The character belongs to the group of scientists and professors surrounding Olive and Adam.
Tawfeek is part of the ensemble cast that gives the university environment greater depth.
His appearance helps establish that Olive’s world includes a wider network of researchers, professors and students beyond the central romantic relationship.
Aadi Maaj as Dr. Sethi
Aadi Maaj appears as Dr. Sethi.
The character is another member of the academic environment featured in the film.
Although the movie focuses primarily on Olive and Adam, the supporting professors help create the professional setting that shapes the story.
Maaj joins a larger ensemble that includes several university-based characters.
Kenny Wong as McConnell
Kenny Wong plays McConnell.
McConnell is another supporting character in the movie’s academic setting.
Wong has appeared in television and film projects and contributes to the ensemble surrounding the two main characters.
His role is smaller than those of Reinhart, Bateman and Marsh, but the supporting cast helps create the broader university environment.
Alexandra Petrachuk as Natalie
Alexandra Petrachuk plays Natalie.
Natalie is among the supporting characters featured in the film.
Petrachuk joins an ensemble that includes students, researchers and other people connected to Olive’s academic world.
The supporting roles help the story feel connected to a larger university community rather than focusing only on the central couple.
Other Supporting Cast Members
The movie features a much larger ensemble beyond its primary characters.
The credited cast includes performers portraying students, professors, medical and academic personnel, and other people encountered during Olive and Adam’s story.
Among the additional credited performers are:
- Ines Feghouli as Rosa
- Amber Jonas as Jamie
- Emily Lê as a shouting student
- Aadi Maaj as Dr. Sethi
- Aladeen Tawfeek as Dr. Fastuca
- Leon Masuda
- Martyne Musau as Dr. Sargis
- Michael McNally-Sylla as Referee Jackson
- Anna Saldivar as Anh’s aunt
- Alexandra Petrachuk as Natalie
- Laura Paolillo as Drunk Ava
- Mario Dallaire as a professor
- Marie-Ève Beauregard as a worried student
Several additional actors appear in smaller roles.
These characters populate the university, social and personal settings surrounding the central story.
Who Plays Olive and Adam?
Lili Reinhart plays Olive Smith.
Tom Bateman plays Dr. Adam Carlsen.
They are the central pairing in the film.
Their characters begin with an unusual fake-dating arrangement.
The story then follows the changing relationship between the two scientists as their arrangement becomes more complicated.
Reinhart and Bateman’s casting was announced as the production took shape.
The two actors became the faces of the adaptation and appeared prominently in promotional material for the film.
Their performances also form the foundation of the movie’s romantic storyline.
Who Plays Olive’s Best Friend Anh?
Rachel Marsh plays Anh Pham.
Anh is Olive’s best friend and an important reason behind the central plot.
Olive wants to help Anh pursue her relationship with Jeremy.
That motivation leads Olive to make the impulsive decision that starts her fake relationship with Adam.
Marsh’s performance therefore has a direct connection to the story’s central conflict.
The friendship between Olive and Anh also gives the movie an important relationship outside the main romance.
Who Plays Jeremy in The Love Hypothesis?
Nicholas Duvernay plays Jeremy Langley.
Jeremy is Olive’s crush and Anh’s romantic interest.
His role creates the circumstances that lead Olive toward Adam.
The relationship situation involving Jeremy makes Olive believe she needs to prove to Anh that she has moved on.
That leads to the unexpected kiss that changes the direction of Olive’s life.
Who Plays Malcolm in The Love Hypothesis?
Jaboukie Young-White plays Malcolm Browne.
Malcolm is part of Olive’s wider social and academic circle.
Young-White brings comedy experience to the ensemble.
His previous work includes acting, voice roles and comedy projects.
His presence gives the supporting cast another recognizable performer alongside the movie’s two leads.
Who Plays Dr. Thomas Benton?
Arty Froushan plays Dr. Thomas Benton.
Benton is connected to the academic world that surrounds Olive and Adam.
Froushan has appeared in both television and theater productions.
His previous credits include House of the Dragon and The Diplomat.
His role adds to the movie’s group of university-based characters.
The Cast Worked Closely With the Original Novel
The actors did not approach the adaptation as an entirely separate story.
Tom Bateman has explained that the book remained an important reference during production.
Lili Reinhart gave Bateman a copy of Hazelwood’s novel while the cast filmed in Montreal.
The book stayed around the set as the actors worked on scenes.
Reinhart and Rachel Marsh also read the novel before taking on their roles.
That preparation gave both performers a direct understanding of Olive and Anh.
Hazelwood also supported the adaptation.
She serves as an executive producer on the movie.
Reinhart has said Hazelwood’s support was meaningful during the production process.
Ali Hazelwood’s Role in the Adaptation
Ali Hazelwood wrote the novel on which the film is based.
She also serves as an executive producer.
Her involvement connects the movie directly to the original book.
Hazelwood’s approval of the casting and direction has been important to the production.
The film marks the first screen adaptation of one of her novels.
Her involvement also gave the creative team access to the person who created Olive, Adam, Anh and the rest of the original characters.
Claire Scanlon Directs the Movie
Claire Scanlon directed The Love Hypothesis.
Scanlon is known for romantic comedies and character-driven projects.
Her previous directing credits include Set It Up and The People We Hate at the Wedding.
Her experience with romantic comedy makes her a natural fit for a story built around fake dating and an unexpected relationship.
Scanlon worked with the cast to bring the novel’s central relationships to the screen.
Sarah Rothschild Wrote the Screenplay
Sarah Rothschild wrote the screenplay.
The script adapts Hazelwood’s novel for a feature-film format.
Adapting a full romance novel requires decisions about which characters, relationships and moments receive the most screen time.
Rothschild’s screenplay provides the structure for Olive and Adam’s transition from an unexpected encounter to a fake relationship.
Hazelwood is credited as the original novelist.
Where Was The Love Hypothesis Filmed?
The movie was filmed primarily in Montreal, Quebec.
The production used locations that could represent the academic world of Stanford.
Lili Reinhart and Rachel Marsh have discussed filming at a real school in Montreal.
The production later completed reshoots in Los Angeles.
The locations allowed the cast to create the university atmosphere required by the story.
The setting remains important because Olive’s academic career is central to her character.
The Love Hypothesis Cast and Character Guide
| Actor | Character | Role in the Story |
|---|---|---|
| Lili Reinhart | Olive Smith | Ph.D. candidate and central character |
| Tom Bateman | Dr. Adam Carlsen | Professor and Olive’s fake boyfriend |
| Rachel Marsh | Anh Pham | Olive’s best friend |
| Nicholas Duvernay | Jeremy Langley | Olive’s crush and Anh’s romantic interest |
| Jaboukie Young-White | Malcolm Browne | Supporting character |
| Arty Froushan | Dr. Thomas Benton | Academic supporting character |
| Jeananne Goossen | Dr. Juliet Aslan | Academic supporting character |
| Aladeen Tawfeek | Dr. Eugene Fastuca | Academic supporting character |
| Aadi Maaj | Dr. Sethi | Academic supporting character |
| Kenny Wong | McConnell | Supporting character |
| Alexandra Petrachuk | Natalie | Supporting character |
| Ines Feghouli | Rosa | Supporting character |
| Amber Jonas | Jamie | Graduate student |
This lineup combines established performers with actors in supporting roles.
The central cast remains focused on the relationship between Olive and Adam.
How the Cast Fits the Story
The movie’s casting reflects the structure of Hazelwood’s novel.
Olive sits at the center.
Adam becomes her unexpected romantic partner.
Anh provides the friendship that motivates Olive’s initial decision.
Jeremy creates the original romantic complication.
Malcolm and the other supporting characters help populate Olive’s academic and social environment.
The professors and students also reinforce one of the book’s defining elements: Olive’s life as a woman pursuing a career in science.
That academic background distinguishes the story from a conventional romantic comedy.
The characters have professional goals alongside their personal relationships.
The Love Hypothesis Is Now Streaming
The 2026 adaptation premiered on Prime Video on September 23.
It is now streaming globally.
The movie has a reported R rating.
Its primary genre is romantic comedy.
The runtime is approximately 100 minutes.
For U.S. viewers, Prime Video is the official streaming home for the film.
The release gives readers of Hazelwood’s novel an opportunity to see Olive and Adam portrayed by a full on-screen cast.
Why the Cast Has Attracted Attention
The casting of The Love Hypothesis has been closely watched since the adaptation entered production.
Lili Reinhart was announced as Olive and executive producer.
Tom Bateman joined as Adam.
Rachel Marsh, Jaboukie Young-White, Nicholas Duvernay and Arty Froushan rounded out the most prominent supporting roles.
The project also brought Hazelwood directly into the production.
That combination created a cast and creative team closely connected to the original story.
The actors also spent time understanding the source material.
Bateman’s comments about keeping the book on set highlighted the effort to preserve the characters readers already know.
Cast of The Love Hypothesis: Current 2026 Update
The cast of the love hypothesis is now officially part of a released Prime Video movie rather than an upcoming project.
Lili Reinhart plays Olive Smith, while Tom Bateman portrays Dr. Adam Carlsen.
Rachel Marsh plays Anh Pham.
Jaboukie Young-White plays Malcolm Browne.
Nicholas Duvernay portrays Jeremy Langley.
Arty Froushan plays Dr. Thomas Benton.
Jeananne Goossen, Aladeen Tawfeek, Aadi Maaj and Kenny Wong are among the additional academic and supporting performers.
Claire Scanlon directed the movie, and Sarah Rothschild wrote the screenplay from Hazelwood’s novel.
The film began streaming on September 23, 2026.
For viewers interested in the actors behind Olive, Adam and the supporting characters, the full ensemble now forms the on-screen version of Hazelwood’s bestselling romance.
Readers interested in the story behind the movie can learn more about the original novel, its characters, plot and 2026 movie tie-in edition in our guide to The Love Hypothesis book.
Have you watched The Love Hypothesis yet? Tell us which cast member and character stood out to you, and stay tuned for more updates about the movie.