'It was really hard': Cole Sprouse reflects on splitting from Lili Reinhart while still working together on 'Riverdale'.
Cole Sprouse thinks he and Lili Reinhart "did quite a bit of damage" to each other.
The 30-year-old actor split from his 'Riverdale' co-star in 2020 after three years of dating and he admitted it was "difficult" having to work with one another while trying to deal with their feelings as their romance fell apart.
Speaking on the 'Call Her Daddy With Alex Cooper' podcast, he said: "It was really hard. It was really hard for both of us.
"I think the work thing got difficult because it was hard to suspend all the way we felt about each other and it didn't afford us the luxury of distance to really overcome that. I know we both did quite a bit of damage to each other in that."
But Cole noted that he and Lili, 26, are "good friends now" and they "work really well together",
and is "grateful" to have had her by his side when 'Riverdale' became such a huge success.
He said: "We really leaned on each other. ...I think we did the best we could, really."
However, the former Disney star admitted he "probably" should have ended the relationship sooner than he did but he and Lili stayed together because of their commitments to the CW show.
He said: "I think if I had loved myself a little more, I probably would have left a little earlier, but I just felt like I had to take care of a lot of people around me, which was not good for me.
"I probably should have exercised a bit more selfishness in that situation."
And Cole admitted he regretted not announcing the break-up when it happened, leading to gossip that he was cheating on Lili, when he was in fact single.
He said: "That grey area created a lot of rumor and gossip that affected me and my mental health quite a bit afterwards."
Meanwhile, the former 'Suite Life' star - who is now dating Ari Fournier - admitted he was just 14 years old when he lost his virginity to an older girl he'd met at a hotel while on a family vacation to Florida.
He said: "I had a bowl cut and I looked like a little Dutch girl...
"We were down at the beach on some chaise lounges and I looked at her, my heart was beating, and I finally mustered up the courage to deliver a line that my brother has never, ever let down from me.
"I looked around and I was like, 'So, are you DTF?' She goes, 'What?' And I go, 'You know, down to f***?' I was 14. She looked at me and she was like, 'Sure.' "
Cole recalled texting his twin brother Dylan and their friend, who he was sharing a room with, and told them he needed the space, leading to a memorable encounter in the hallway.
He said: "My brother just looks at me and he goes, 'What the f*** are we supposed to do?' I looked at him and I said another line that he's never forgiven me for. I go, 'I don't know, go play chess or something.' "
