Directed by Claire Scanlon.
The Love Hypothesis was released on September 23, 2026.
Dstributed by Prime Video.
The Love Hypothesis (2026) Movie Review
The Love Hypothesis brings Ali Hazelwood’s popular romance novel to the screen with a charming mix of humor, romance and academic rivalry.
Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman make Olive and Adam an engaging pair, with their chemistry giving the familiar fake-dating story much of its appeal.
The movie follows the expected romantic-comedy formula, but its playful dialogue and warm performances keep the story entertaining.
Some supporting characters feel underdeveloped, and the adaptation moves quickly through moments that could have benefited from more emotional depth.
Still, Claire Scanlon’s film delivers an easygoing romantic experience that should appeal to viewers looking for a light, feel-good movie.
CR Rating: 7.5/10.
The Love Hypothesis Actors
Lili Reinhart as Olive Smith
DOB: September 13, 1996.
Bio: American actress born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Amy and Daniel Reinhart and raised in nearby Bay Village with her two sisters.
She developed an interest in singing, acting and dancing around the age of 10, taking dance classes for about 10 years and performing in local musicals.
Role: Olive Smith is a third-year biology Ph.D. candidate focused on building a career in academia.
When her best friend Anh falls for Olive’s former crush Jeremy, Olive impulsively kisses Dr. Adam Carlsen to convince Anh that she has moved on.
Interesting facts: Reinhart serves as both the lead actress and an executive producer on The Love Hypothesis.
She participated in the casting process for Adam Carlsen and said Tom Bateman stood out during chemistry reads.
Notable Works: Riverdale, Chemical Hearts, The Good Neighbor, Hustlers.
Tom Bateman as Dr. Adam Carlsen
DOB: March 15, 1989.
Bio: English actor born in Oxford, England, to two teachers.
He grew up in Oxford as one of 14 children and has a twin brother.
Bateman attended Cherwell School before joining the National Youth Theatre and later studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where he received a Leverhulme Scholarship.
Role: Dr. Adam Carlsen is a brilliant and intimidating professor who has developed a reputation for being extremely demanding.
His relationship with Olive begins as a mutually beneficial fake romance, with each of them expecting to gain something from the arrangement.
Interesting facts: Bateman is married to actress Daisy Ridley, who played Rey in Star Wars.
That connection became an unusual coincidence because Ali Hazelwood’s original version of The Love Hypothesis began as Star Wars fan fiction centered on Rey and Kylo Ren.
Notable Works: Da Vinci’s Demons, Vanity Fair, Behind Her Eyes, Based on a True Story.
Rachel Marsh as Anh Pham
DOB: February 24, 1992.
Bio: American actress and writer born in Seattle, and raised in the Bothell, Washington area.
She discovered her passion for acting through improv in Los Angeles after initially pursuing other interests and gradually built a career in television and comedy.
Role: Anh Pham is Olive’s best friend and a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford.
Anh becomes the reason Olive begins the fake relationship with Adam after she develops feelings for Jeremy.
Olive does not want to hurt Anh or compete with her friend, so she creates the impression that she is already dating someone.
Interesting facts: Marsh said the scientific dialogue was one of the most difficult parts of playing Anh because the terminology had to be delivered accurately rather than casually paraphrased.
Notable Works: Fallout, The Morning Show, Unstable, Adults.
Jaboukie Young-White as Malcolm Browne
DOB: July 24, 1994.
Bio: American comedian, actor, writer and musician born in Chicago, Illinois, to Jamaican immigrant parents and raised in Harvey, Illinois.
He attended Marian Catholic High School, where he participated in speech and theatre, before studying at DePaul University.
Role: Malcolm Browne is Olive’s roommate and friend.
He provides another source of humor and perspective within Olive’s personal life as she attempts to balance her academic ambitions with the increasingly complicated fake relationship with Adam.
Interesting facts: Young-White has a background in improv comedy and began performing stand-up before becoming known for his online comedy.
Notable Works: The Daily Show, American Vandal, Only Murders in the Building, Abbott Elementary, Strange World.
Nicholas Duvernay as Jeremy Langley
DOB: June 10, 1999.
Bio: American actor from Long Island, New York, who later moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting professionally.
He began building his career with television appearances and supporting roles before gaining wider recognition through streaming productions.
Role: Jeremy Langley is a graduate student and Olive Smith’s initial crush.
Olive discovers that Jeremy is interested in her best friend Anh, creating an awkward situation because Anh also has feelings for him.
Interesting facts: Duvernay moved to Hollywood in 2019 after graduating high school.
Notable Works: The White Lotus, Purple Hearts, Bel-Air, The Winchesters, Reminders of Him.
Arty Froushan as Dr. Thomas Benton
DOB: April 16, 1993.
Bio: Arty Froushan, whose full name is Artemas Bolour-Froushan, is an English-American actor born in Hartford, Connecticut, to an English mother and Iranian father.
His family moved to London when he was young, and he grew up in South London, where he attended St Paul’s School.
Role: Dr. Thomas Benton is a Harvard academic and a former graduate-school colleague of Adam Carlsen.
Olive contacts Benton because she wants to pursue research into pancreatic cancer, and he offers her an opportunity to work with his Harvard laboratory.
Interesting facts: Froushan recently discussed the importance of casting directors in his career and credited Meredith Tucker with strongly supporting his work in the United States.
Notable Works: Carnival Row, House of the Dragon, Daredevil: Born Again, Knightfall.
Jeananne Goossen as Dr. Juliet Aslan
DOB: January 3, 1985.
Bio: Canadian actress born in Toronto, Ontario.
She was raised in a family with Chinese and Canadian heritage and studied biochemistry at McGill University in Montreal, initially planning to become a gynecologist.
Role: Dr. Juliet Aslan is an academic figure within the scientific environment of The Love Hypothesis.
Her presence reinforces the film’s university setting and the professional world in which Olive and Adam operate.
Interesting facts: Goossen’s real-life background in biochemistry gives her an unusual connection to the science-focused world of The Love Hypothesis.
Notable Works: NCIS, Alcatraz, The Night Shift, The Following, The Walking Dead.
Aladeen Tawfeek as Dr. Eugene Fastuca
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Aladeen Tawfeek is a multidisciplinary actor, writer and director who was born in Geneva and raised in Cairo before making Montreal his home.
He works across theatre, television and independent creative projects and is multilingual.
Role: Dr. Eugene Fastuca is another member of the academic and scientific community surrounding Olive and Adam.
His professional position helps expand the film’s university setting beyond its central couple and gives the story a larger network of researchers and professors.
Interesting facts: Tawfeek made his Stratford Festival debut in 2019 as Wazzan in the English-language world premiere of Wajdi Mouawad’s Birds of a Kind.
Notable Works: Transplant, The Looming Tower, Counter Offence, Simon.
Kenny Wong as McConnell
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Canadian actor, writer, filmmaker, and violinist originally from Richmond, British Columbia, and based in Montreal.
He earned a Bachelor of Music Performance degree in violin from McGill University while also studying acting at Straeon Acting Studios.
Role: McConnell is a supporting member of the academic environment surrounding the central characters.
His role contributes to the university setting in which Olive and Adam conduct their professional lives and interact with fellow researchers and faculty members.
Interesting facts: Wong’s feature screenplay Dystonia was inspired by his own experience as a violinist diagnosed with focal hand dystonia while studying at McGill University.
Notable Works: Transplant, The Handmaid’s Tale, Pretty Hard Cases, Jack Ryan.
Daniel Brochu as Dr. Hargrave
DOB: February 28, 1970.
Bio: Canadian actor and voice performer born in Montreal, Quebec.
He began his professional acting career in the early 1990s and has worked extensively across television, film, animation, and voice acting.
Role: Dr. Hargrave is a professor of molecular biology at the university attended by Olive and serves on her dissertation committee.
He teaches Olive’s molecular biology class, making him part of the academic structure directly connected to her doctoral studies.
Interesting facts: Before becoming known primarily for his voice work, Brochu worked as a mail carrier.
Notable Works: Arthur, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Being Human, Blue Mountain State.
More Actors
• Alexandra Petrachuk as Natalie Lazotti.
• Howard Bilerman as Dr. Keeney.
• Ines Feghouli as Rosa.
• Aadi Maaj as Dr. Roshan Sethi.
FAQ – The Love Hypothesis (2026) Movie
What is The Love Hypothesis about?
The story follows PhD candidate Olive Smith, who enters a fake relationship with intimidating professor Adam Carlsen. Their pretend romance gradually develops into something more genuine.
Is The Love Hypothesis based on a book?
Yes. It is based on Ali Hazelwood’s New York Times bestselling romance novel of the same name.
Is The Love Hypothesis a romance movie?
Yes. It combines romance and comedy, with fake dating, academic rivalry and a slow-developing relationship at the center of the story.
What is The Love Hypothesis rated?
The movie is rated R and has a runtime of approximately 1 hour and 52 minutes.
Where can I watch The Love Hypothesis?
The movie is available to stream exclusively on Prime Video.
Conclusion
The Love Hypothesis is a charming romantic comedy that relies on strong chemistry, playful humor and a familiar fake-dating story.
Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman keep the romance engaging, making the film an enjoyable choice for rom-com fans.