Reneé Rapp reveals why dating apps ‘scare’ her

Reneé Rapp admits the prospect scares her (Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

Reneé Rapp has revealed why she’s not a fan of dating apps.

The 24-year-old singer spoke candidly about her approaches to dating during an appearance on the Close Friends Only with Instagram podcast, alongside actor Rachel Sennott. After opening up about casually flirting with someone on Instagram, she acknowledged that she’s “never” used a dating app before, before explaining why she avoids online dating.

“It scares the s*** out of me,” she said. “For some reason, I was never like, ‘Oh, that’s something I could do’... I think of just Christian Mingle. I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s for elderly Christians. I’m not that.’”

When Sennott acknowledged that she doesn’t enjoy the icebreaker conversations that people have on dating apps, Rapp agreed. “There’s no little small talk,” the Mean Girls star said. “I’m not a small talk gal.”

Rapp went on to share another reason why she doesn’t use dating apps: She can’t decide if she’s attracted to someone on how they look on their dating profiles.

“Based off of experiences, there’s really no way to tell from a photo ... or a video,” she continued. “And you might think that you’re really attracted to someone, and then you’re just not.”

Earlier this month, Rapp also opened up about her sexuality, recalling how she came out as lesbian during a January 2024 episode of Saturday Night Live. During an interview with Them, she noted that before filming the SNL sketch – when Bowen Yang referred to her as a “lesbian intern,” she was initially supposed to be called a “bisexual intern.” However, when backstage before the show, SNL staff writer Celeste Yim asked Rapp: “Can we change that ‘bisexual’ to ‘gay’?”

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Although the “Pretty Girls” singer acknowledged how kind people on the late-night show were, she was still skeptical about coming out with the line change.

“I didn’t want to do it and be like: ‘Oh my God, I’m not using the word “bisexual,”’ and make bisexual people feel s***ty,” she continued. “I also didn’t want to be like: ‘OK, I’m “gay”’ and have all the lesbians be like: ‘Say you’re bisexual, then.’ I felt so wrapped up and scared.”

Shortly before the SNL episode was about to start, Rapp turned to a friend for advice about the situation, and they told her: “I think it would be really f***ing sick if you came out as a lesbian on SNL.” From there, Rapp agreed to the line change and then came out as a “lesbian” on the show.

In March, the actor took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to address fans who question her sexual orientation. “If I say I’m a lesbian I am a lesbian and if someone says they’re bi they are bi I’ve had enough of you witches,” her post read.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in February, she also said her Sex Lives of College Girls character Leighton Murray’s coming out journey had parallels to her real life, specifically to her own emotions when navigating her sexuality.

“However, I think it made it a lot easier in ways that pissed me off, but I’m also really grateful for. That [show] was the most parallel experience in my life, and I remember doing that specific coming out scene and not acting at all – at all. I was just sobbing. I see that and I don’t see a character. I’m like: ‘That’s me,’” she shared.