Olivia Wilde opened up on Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" podcast about the firestorm that surrounded her 2022 romance with Harry Styles and the fallout from "Don't Worry Darling," her sophomore directorial effort. The actress and director acknowledged staying silent during the tumultuous rollout, saying she felt "disconnected from the person that people were talking about."
Wilde addressed the public backlash to her relationship with Styles directly. The ten-year age gap between them proved particularly divisive with audiences. She recalled being called derogatory names simply for appearing at his concerts. "People were f—ing pissed," she said candidly, noting that the age difference "really upset" critics who leveled harsh judgments her way.
The "Don't Worry Darling" release became tabloid oxygen in fall 2022, tangled up with rumors of on-set tension between Wilde and lead actor Florence Pugh, script rewrites, and the sudden departure of Shia LaBeouf from the project. Styles' involvement as a last-minute lead replacement added another layer of intrigue and scrutiny. The film's reception proved decidedly mixed, with critics finding it hollow despite its glossy aesthetic and A-list cast.
Wilde's relationship with Styles ended in late 2022, just as the film hit theaters. The director appeared hesitant to engage with the broader narrative at the time, letting the noise consume the movie's rollout instead of controlling the story herself. Now, revisiting the era while promoting "The Invite," she seems ready to reckon with how personal and professional drama collided.
Her willingness to discuss the experience directly contrasts with her relative silence during that period. The podcast appearance underscores how the entertainment industry's appetite for celebrity drama can overshadow artistic work. Whether audiences