Move over, Archie Andrews. Veronica Lodge has her eye on a new Archie. Riverdale star Camila Mendes is starring in a new rom-com called Upgraded that’s coming out on Feb. 9, just in time for Valentine’s Day! Like all legitimate romance movies, Upgraded’s got the holy trinity of rom-com tropes: a highly ambitious protagonist focused on an enviably cool career (working at an art gallery); a big city setting (London); and a cute new man to obsess over (Archie Renaux).
Fans of Shadow and Bone might recognize Archie Renaux as Mal Oretsev, but if you’re anything like me, your jaw dropped the second he walked into the airport lounge in Upgraded. Who is this smooth-talking Brit, and why is his chemistry with Mendes so electric? Recent rom-coms like Anyone But You brought about a resurgence of another rom-com trope: speculating about whether the romantic leads have made things romantic off-set. Could that be the reason Mendes and Renaux’s banter works so well on screen? And if not, is Archie Renaux single? (Asking for a friend, obvi.)
Though sparks might be flying between their Upgraded characters Ana and Will, Mendes and Renaux are just friends. Mendes is off the market; she made her relationship with actor Rudy Mancuso Instagram official on Valentine’s Day 2023. Renaux is also very much off the market (sorry, bb). Not only does he have a long-term girlfriend, but they also have a daughter together!
Renaux keeps his personal life pretty private on social media, but Distractify reports that he started dating his girlfriend Annie O’Hara either in late 2019 or early 2020. In September 2022, he posted pictures of the two of them at the UK premiere of Catherine Called Birdy. The caption confirmed that they share a daughter named Iris. Though Renaux keeps his relationship with O’Hara under wraps, his IG feed has a few sweet snaps of him and Iris!
The rising star gave his fans a rare glimpse into his relationship during a 2022 interview with Wonderland. “I get to see everything go full circle as my daughter does the things I did as a kid. There is something quite special about it,” he said. “Things have gotten really busy and I’m very lucky and grateful that I have been working a lot for most of this year. But now I’m really trying to balance that with finding time to spend with my family and get those precious moments in.”
Renaux and Mendes might be happily involved with other people IRL, but you can watch them fall for each other in Upgraded on Feb. 9! Light some candles, brew a hot cup of tea, and be prepared to add another London boy to your list of celebrity crushes this V-Day.