Lili Reinhart is one of  TV's hottest young stars, thanks to her role as Betty in the hit series Riverdale. While the blonde beauty is no stranger to scrutiny, she certainly doesn't take it laying down. A few weeks ago, Lili took to Instagram to show young fans her struggle with cystic acne, hoping it would help them to realize that skin issues are normal and common. Now, she's spoken out after a picture caused some fans to think she was pregnant.

PREVIOUSLY: LILI REINHART USES INSTAGRAM TO DISCUSS STRUGGLE WITH ACNE

The photo in question is one of Lili with her boyfriend and co-star, Cole Sprouse, and their friends, fellow actors Zoey Dutch and Haley Lu Richardson. The snap was taken in New Orleans while the couple was hanging out, and shows the foursome in a natural pose. Lili stands side by side with Cole, wearing a pale-grey dress that shows what appears to be a slightly round stomach - nothing compared to what most of us look like after a good chow down at Mickey D's. Clearly agitated by the speculation, Reinhart took it as an opportunity to stand up for women everywhere, shutting down the pregnancy rumors and giving us all a lesson in what we should already know - the female shape can fluctuate. Stomachs aren't always as flat as a pancake.

"This is just my body," she explained. "Sometimes I'm bloated. Sometimes an unflattering photo is taken of me. Sometimes I go through periods of time where I gain weight. My body is something that I will NEVER apologize for." The 21-year-old went on to advise others not to invest so much time in what strangers look like. It wasn't long before Camila Mendes (aka Veronica, and Lili's real-life BFF) took to the photo sharing platform to say a few words of her own in support of her friend. Mendes called for women everywhere to start accepting their bodies, stating she was inspired by her friend's ability to react to criticism with love and empathy and nothing else.

Unlike some young stars, both Reinhart and Mendes are fully aware of the young demographic that their show speaks to. It's not the first time that they've spoken out against trolls and body shaming and it most certainly won't be the last. For a pair of actresses in their early twenties, we think they're doing just fine.

NEXT: BUGHEAD SPOTTED WALKING THE RED CARPET TOGETHER

Kate Prince (87 Articles Published)

Kate Prince is a freelance writer based in Swindon, UK. As well as writing feature news for Moms, Kate contributes to over a dozen websites, including The Talko, Baby Gaga, The Things, Buzznet, Idolator and ConsumerHealthDigest. Kate lives with her daughter and loves sharing everything that she's learned throughout motherhood - mainly that nothing stays clean and Spongebob Squarepants is overrated. Passionate about lifestyle and entertainment, Kate has been writing ever since she was a child and is always looking for the next story. You can follow Kate on Twitter @_KatiePrince and Instagram @thekateprince.

More From Kate Prince