Olivia Wilde has had a long and successful career as an actress, recently establishing herself as a filmmaker over the last few years. Following the success of Booksmart, she got behind the camera for the thriller Don’t Worry Darling, which was a project surrounded by rumors of feuds between herself and actors like Florence Pugh. Wilde recently called directing “the greatest job on the planet” but talks working in the “Hellfire of Misogyny” that is Hollywood.
Prior to its release, the press surrounding Don’t Worry Darling had almost nothing to do with the contents of the movie. Instead they were about Olivia Wilde’s relationship with Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, as well as her ex Jason Sudeikis. The chatter was so much that crew members issued a joint statement in support of her. Wilde recently appeared at Elle's Women in Hollywood event (via THR), where she spoke about becoming a multihyphenate in the industry. As she put it,
I was an actress who started producing and then finally got the courage to start directing, and wouldn’t have started any of it at all if I knew Twitter would be invented. But here I am and it’s a real thrill to have what is undeniably the greatest job on the planet.
Well, there you have it. Social media can be a toxic place, and it seems like she saw the ugly side of outlets like Twitter while working on Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling. But despite the reality of what it’s like to be a filmmaker in the current age, Olivia Wilde also admits it’s the best job ever. And for that reason, she’s the right person to be behind the camera.
Olivia Wilde’s comments about social media puts the spotlight on a unique challenge to filmmaking that’s only popped up in the last few years. Namely the way that online chatter can affect the promoting and box office performance of projects. Although for Don’t Worry Darling, all the rumors of drama might have helped it get to #1 at the box office upon its release. Later in her appearance, Wilde used more colorful language to describe what it’s like as a female filmmaker in Hollywood, saying:
Sometimes it’s tempting to excuse ourselves from the burning hellfire of the misogyny that defines this business and say ’Goodnight, good luck, I’d rather eat glass for a living.’
Given just how much drama surrounded Don’t Worry Darling, one might be able to understand this sentiment. Almost every day brought some new headline leading up to the movie’s release, from stories about Shia LaBeouf’s departure, to Olivia Widle’s rumored feud with Florence Pugh, to Harry Styles and Chris Pine’s #SpitGate. Wilde was even served custody papers by Jason Sudeikis while presenting her new thriller at CinemaCon.
But while being open about the struggles of being a female filmmaker, Olivia Wilde also once again highlighted how lucky she was to have her job. After all, she’s been able to create two wholly original movies, and things are still just beginning. As she put it,
Let’s face it, you’re not a woman in Hollywood until you’ve begged to be placed into a medically induced coma until your press tour is finished. Until then, you are just a woman residing in or around the Hollywood area. I love my life, I love my job, what more could I ask for?
It’s no doubt for this reason that all the misogyny and online backlash doesn’t actually stop Olivia Wilde from being a working actress and director. Ultimately she’s able to create art, and is becoming a powerful force in the entertainment industry as a whole. Although she does have to deal with chatter about her personal life, including her relationship with Harry Styles.
Don’t Worry Darling is still in some theaters, but folks are wondering when it might arrive on streaming, possibly on HBO Max. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
