The True Story Behind Swiped, Whitney Wolfe Herd, and the Birth of Bumble

by

Whitney Wolfe Herd revolutionized how people date. She was a co-founder of the hugely successful app Tinder, and later created Bumble. Bumble stood out because it empowered women by requiring them to initiate conversations, giving them more control in online dating.

I was completely captivated by *Swiped*, the film directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg. It beautifully portrays Whitney Wolfe Herd’s incredible decade-long journey. The movie starts with her time as a co-founder at Tinder, but it doesn’t shy away from the really tough stuff – the painful split from the company, the public lawsuit, and the awful way the media turned on her, painting her in a terrible light. What’s so inspiring is how she overcame all that harassment and those threats to create Bumble. At just 31, she became the youngest woman to ever take a company public and a self-made billionaire! I recently heard the director, Rachel Lee Goldenberg, and Lily James, who plays Whitney, talk about making the film. Rachel said Whitney’s story felt so cinematic and inspirational, that she took some of the most difficult moments of her life and turned them into something truly successful.

James, who portrays Whitney Herd, was inspired by the entrepreneur’s success in a difficult field. She says she was surprised she hadn’t heard Whitney’s story before. Whitney was key to creating two popular apps, and James wanted to help share her journey as a woman navigating the male-dominated tech industry.

Making a film about Wolfe Herd, without Wolfe Herd

Goldenberg and James, the film’s producers, were eager to tell Whitney Wolfe Herd’s story, but making the movie was tricky. Because of a legal agreement related to her lawsuit with Tinder, Wolfe Herd couldn’t be involved in the production.

Taking on this woman’s story felt like a big undertaking, especially since I wasn’t allowed to speak with her directly due to legal reasons,” explains Goldenberg. “My co-writer, Bill Parker, and I committed to thorough research, wanting to understand every detail before we began. We carefully examined her legal case, read all available articles, and watched every interview with anyone connected to the story. However, she emphasizes that the movie, *Swiped*, is *inspired by* the events, not a direct retelling. We used our research to ensure accuracy and truthfulness, but also prioritized capturing the emotional core of the story.

James explains the film used only materials freely available to the public. As a dedicated researcher, she fully immersed herself in understanding the woman she portrayed, studying every available resource – podcasts, masterclasses, and interviews – to reveal the character’s human side and inner life.

Playing Whitney was so much more than just sounding like her, though getting her voice and timing right was a huge part of getting ready. I’m really fascinated by how people talk – things like their rhythm, how quickly they breathe, and their pace. When I watched Whitney, it was clear her mind was incredibly fast! So, I really focused on changing *my* natural rhythm as an actor to match hers. To truly become Whitney, I knew I had to bring my own personality to the role. I wanted to tap into the fearlessness I saw in her and be completely open and vulnerable, showing all my flaws and heart to create a really complex and full character.

The film *Swiped* has a fast-paced, energetic feel, enhanced by a dynamic score from composer Chanda Dancy. This was intentional, designed to reflect the high-energy environment of a tech startup. According to Goldenberg, the filmmakers aimed to capture a sense of ‘propulsion’ with the story of Whitney, portraying her as driven and determined. The narrative depicts her constantly striving forward, and when events take a turn – leading to her departure from and lawsuit against Tinder – it’s not a gradual decline, but a powerful, inescapable shift. All the film’s elements work together to create this feeling of forward momentum.

A swift rise and then a turn in public opinion

The first half of the movie focuses on the early days at Tinder and feels energetic and promising. We see Whitney Wolfe Herd (then just Wolfe) become a central figure, even coming up with the app’s name and contributing crucial ideas that helped it succeed. One particularly memorable scene shows her and coder Tisha traveling to college campuses to promote Tinder. To get a sorority to sign up, she confidently tells them popular fraternities are already on board-even though they aren’t-and then races across campus to actually recruit those fraternities before the sorority members find out.

Whitney’s energetic and quick-thinking approach was crucial to Tinder’s successful launch on college campuses. According to Goldenberg, she passionately presented the idea, but often had to scramble to generate initial excitement. Whitney herself has described actively working to convince people that others were already using the app, creating a sense of urgency and buzz.

The movie shows Whitney Wolfe Herd starting a relationship with Tinder co-founder Justin Mateen, but their breakup marks the beginning of her troubles at the company. The film depicts Mateen repeatedly harassing her through text messages – actual messages from the lawsuit Wolfe Herd later filed. These frustrations with the relationship are portrayed as a key factor in her eventual departure from Tinder. A turning point comes when she discovers a TIME magazine article that doesn’t acknowledge her role as a co-founder, raising her suspicions.

Things escalate as she’s excluded from important meetings and her influence at the company quickly fades. When she reports the harassment and changing work environment to founder Sean Rad, she’s immediately fired. In 2014, Wolfe Herd sued Tinder, alleging 18 months of harassment that began in 2012. The case was settled out of court with a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), preventing her from fully participating in the making of the movie. The details of the settlement were leaked, leading to widespread negative public reaction, and she was unable to respond due to the NDA.

A new company, and a shift in tone

A turning point came when Andrey Andreev, the owner of MagicLabs (the company behind the dating app Badoo), offered Whitney Wolfe Herd a unique opportunity: the chance to create her own dating app. In December 2014, she moved to Austin, Texas, and, with the help of former colleagues from Tinder (portrayed as Tisha and Beth in the movie), founded what would become Bumble.

The film highlights how the initial conversations among the three women creating Bumble differed from the atmosphere at Tinder. Instead of a competitive, cutthroat environment, the scene shows a joyful, collaborative space. According to director Goldenberg, the bright, new office they’re setting up visually represents the kind of app they’re building. The filmmakers worked closely with the actresses – My’hala, Mary, and Lily – to create a positive and energetic scene, rehearsing extensively to encourage natural, overlapping dialogue without anyone interrupting.

Bumble quickly became popular after its launch, attracting over a million users in its first year with a focus on providing a safe and positive dating experience for women. User numbers continued to grow rapidly, reaching 8 million by 2016, 12 million in 2017, 27 million in 2018, and 35 million in 2019. Currently, Bumble has almost 40 million active users each month. Whitney Wolfe Herd also worked to strengthen online safety laws, successfully supporting the passage of a Texas law that criminalized sending unwanted explicit images. In November 2019, BlackRock acquired MagicLabs (Bumble’s parent company) and appointed Wolfe Herd as CEO, giving her leadership over the entire MagicLabs/Badoo organization.

Inspiring more women in entrepreneurship

In the series *Swiped*, James portrays Wolfe Herd as someone who develops impressively, though not in the typical way. She begins the story as a determined and intelligent character. The show highlights her journey as she navigates and challenges unhealthy work environments, ultimately striving to create something better.

Goldenberg explains that in male-dominated workplaces, women often face a difficult trade-off: they’re rewarded for conforming and fitting in with the prevailing culture, but penalized for challenging it. There’s an advantage to going along with the group, even if it means participating in behavior that feels uncomfortable. She notes that speaking up or questioning inappropriate behavior can lead to social exclusion and hinder career opportunities. The film portrays the protagonist, Whitney, initially embracing this dynamic, but ultimately evolving to challenge it – a journey that the filmmakers find particularly compelling.

It’s inspiring to see James-as-Wolfe Herd succeed, even with all the challenges she’s faced, and to flourish as a woman in a difficult industry. She hopes the film will encourage other women to pursue their goals, saying, “If it inspires women to start businesses, follow their entrepreneurial dreams, or even just sparks a discussion, I’d be incredibly proud.”

Read More

2025-09-20 02:07