Nearly four years after Don’t Worry Darling became one of Hollywood’s most heavily scrutinised film releases, Olivia Wilde is looking back on the experience with fresh perspective.
While promoting her upcoming film The Invite, the actress and filmmaker has once again found herself answering questions about the whirlwind surrounding the psychological thriller, from speculation about on-set drama to the intense public interest in her relationship with Harry Styles.
In a new interview with The Cut, Wilde revisited some of the biggest headlines that followed the film’s release and explained how the experience reshaped the way she approaches public scrutiny.
When Don’t Worry Darling debuted, conversation often extended far beyond the movie itself. Reports about alleged conflicts between cast members, rumours surrounding the production, and widespread speculation about Wilde’s personal life frequently overshadowed discussion of the finished film.
One of the biggest talking points involved Wilde’s relationship with Harry Styles, who starred in the movie. At the same time, rumours circulated that she had begun dating the singer after ending her relationship with Jason Sudeikis, while additional reports claimed tensions had developed behind the scenes between Wilde and leading actress Florence Pugh.
Throughout much of the promotional campaign, Wilde largely chose not to publicly respond.
Looking back, she revealed that remaining silent wasn’t entirely her own decision.
“I was told, ‘Don’t say a f-king word. Just go out there and smile,’” Olivia recounted.
While she followed that advice at the time, she now admits it wasn’t the approach that felt right to her.
She continued, “I resent that, but it taught me it’s not the way I want to handle things.”
Instead of allowing others to define the narrative, Wilde says the experience ultimately encouraged her to rethink how she wants to engage with public conversations moving forward.
Another memorable part of the interview centred on advice she once received from Jennifer Garner, who offered perspective on how quickly public perception can shift.
Olivia revealed, “She said it’s like you get cast in a soap opera by the public. And they assign you an obvious archetype: the damsel in distress, the good girl, the pretty girl.”
Wilde reflected on how she believes those perceptions evolved throughout different stages of her career.
She thinks she was originally portrayed as an “an object of desire.” But more recently, “I became the full-on villain. Like Cruella.”
The comments highlight the challenges many women in Hollywood continue to face as public narratives often become simplified into easily recognisable roles rather than reflecting the complexities of real life.
Of course, one of the most anticipated questions centred on Harry Styles.
The pair dated for approximately two years after meeting while working together on Don’t Worry Darling. Their relationship attracted enormous global attention, with every public appearance generating headlines and intense online discussion.
Despite the scrutiny surrounding the romance, Wilde made it clear that she doesn’t look back on that chapter with regret.
Instead, she described their relationship as “loving and wonderful and joyful.”
Her comments offered one of her clearest reflections yet on the relationship, choosing to focus on the positive memories rather than the speculation that surrounded it.
Wilde also directly addressed one of the most persistent rumours connected to the production.
For years, reports claimed she and Florence Pugh engaged in a heated screaming match during filming, while other stories alleged she was absent from set during important moments of production.
According to Wilde, those reports were completely inaccurate.
“I have never had a screaming match on my set. I was never not available on set. I wanted to be like, ‘None of this is true,’” she said about all the headlines and speculation.
The filmmaker acknowledged how difficult it was to watch those stories spread without responding publicly, particularly when she believed the claims were false.
Although Don’t Worry Darling ultimately became one of the most talked-about films of 2022, much of that conversation focused on off-screen narratives instead of the movie itself. Wilde’s latest interview signals a desire to move beyond that chapter while also correcting misconceptions that have lingered for years.
