SerpApi.Org
Olivia Wilde recently reflected on the intense scrutiny surrounding 2022’s Don’t Worry Darling, noting that controversy over the film and her relationship with Harry Styles “hurt me for sure” and hindered meaningful discussion about the movie.
On “The Louis Theroux Podcast,” Wilde addressed the attention surrounding the psychological thriller, which starred Florence Pugh and Styles. The film’s release coincided with the end of Wilde’s nearly two-year relationship with Styles, which began in late 2020 and ended in November 2022.
During the conversation, Louis Theroux pointed to the “multidimensional mini scandals” that “derailed” the film, including the public attention on Wilde’s relationship with Styles and what he described as “a kind of misogynistic dimension” to much of the coverage (per Daily Mail).
Wilde agreed that the headlines ultimately overshadowed the project, stating, “I think it did hurt the film for sure because we didn’t get to have the conversations about what the film was trying to say, which was a shame because so many people worked so hard to make that film in the depths of COVID… But we never got to talk about that, so I think it hurt the film.”
She added, “It hurt me for sure, because I was so naive up until that point about the grinder, the garbage disposal that the internet can be… So at this point, I have enough of a perspective on it and that allows me to experience it as a fascinating time. It is interesting to witness a tornado from the inside.”
While promoting her new film, The Invite, Wilde noted that returning to the press circuit has been a very different experience compared to the Don’t Worry Darling campaign. The comedy features Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton.
Wilde noted, “This is my first time back into the press cycle since then and I did wonder, would this feel quite traumatizing? I find that the conversations around The Invite are so wonderfully interesting to me, and I’ve actually been allowed to have them. So, it’s been actually kind of healing because I understand that it’s not always a garbage disposal.”
Don’t Worry Darling was involved in several off-screen controversies. Reports suggested Wilde and Pugh clashed during production and that the director often left set with Styles. Other reports alleged Styles received a significantly higher salary than Pugh, a claim Wilde denied, telling Variety, “There is absolutely no validity to those claims.”
Following the film’s release, 40 members of its production team said in a joint statement, “Any allegations about unprofessional behavior on the set of Don’t Worry Darling are completely false. Olivia is an incredible leader and director who was present with and involved in every aspect of production. She ran this set with class and respect for everyone involved.”
