For Olivia Wilde, the biggest disappointment surrounding “Don’t Worry Darling” was never the headlines themselves; it was watching the conversation drift away from the film she spent years bringing to life.
As the actress and director returns to the promotional circuit with her new movie, “The Invite,” she says time has given her enough distance to look back on one of Hollywood’s most scrutinized productions with fresh perspective.
While the experience remains painful, Wilde now believes she can finally separate the work from the storm that engulfed it.
Nearly four years after “Don’t Worry Darling” dominated entertainment headlines, Olivia Wilde says the public fascination with the film’s off-screen drama prevented audiences from engaging with what the psychological thriller was actually trying to explore.
Appearing on “The Louis Theroux” podcast, the 42-year-old agreed with the host’s observation that the film had been “derailed by publicity” and caught up in “many multidimensional scandals.”
During its release, attention shifted away from the movie itself as reports circulated about alleged friction between Wilde and Florence Pugh, speculation over pay disputes, and the intense scrutiny surrounding her romance with co-star Harry Styles.
Reflecting on that period, Wilde admitted the relentless focus on the surrounding drama came at the film’s expense.
“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,” she explained, adding that it was especially frustrating considering the challenges of making the movie during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wilde Calls The Experience A ‘Tornado From The Inside’
For Olivia Wilde, one of the hardest parts was watching years of creative work become secondary to internet discourse.
She pointed out that “Don’t Worry Darling” was produced on a relatively modest $30 million budget but achieved a much grander visual scale thanks to the work of cinematographer Matty Libatique and production designer Katie Byron.
“But we never got to talk about that, so I think it hurt the film,” she said.
The experience also reshaped how Wilde views fame and online culture. Looking back, the Hollywood star admitted she had underestimated how quickly social media narratives could consume both a project and the people behind it.
“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,” the “Booksmart” actress shared.
Although the ordeal remains one of the most difficult periods of her career, Wilde says the passing years have helped her view it differently.
“So at this point, I have enough of a perspective on it and that allows me to experience it as a fascinating time,” she said, adding, “It is interesting to witness a tornado from the inside.”
Olivia Wilde Says ‘The Invite’ Has Been A Healing Return To The Spotlight
Returning to promote “The Invite” initially filled Wilde with uncertainty after everything that unfolded during the “Don’t Worry Darling” press tour. She admitted she questioned whether stepping back into another round of interviews would reopen old wounds.
Instead, the experience has reminded her what film promotion can feel like when the conversation stays centered on the work.
“Well, it’s interesting because this is my first time back into the press cycle since then and I did wonder, would this feel quite traumatising?” Wilde recalled.
Rather than revisiting tabloid headlines, she has found herself discussing the creative choices behind her latest project, something she says has been unexpectedly restorative.
“I find that the conversations around The Invite are so wonderfully interesting to me, and I’ve actually been allowed to have them,” she remarked, further sharing, “So, it’s been actually kind of healing because I understand that it’s not always a garbage disposal.”
Wilde Says The Invite Helped Her Move Past The ‘Failure’ Of ‘Don’t Worry Darling’
Olivia Wilde had previously acknowledged that the mixed reception to “Don’t Worry Darling” ultimately gave her the confidence to take bigger creative risks with “The Invite.”
While promoting her new A24 film, the movie star reflected on how watching her 2022 thriller earn a 38% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes forced her to let go of the fear of failure.
“I believe in early failure,” Wilde told Variety in June, explaining that surviving a project so heavily criticized became unexpectedly freeing because it reminded her how subjective filmmaking can be.
Rather than trying to chase expectations after the success of “Booksmart,” Wilde said she approached “The Invite” with a greater willingness to experiment, shooting the film sequentially over 21 days and embracing an intimate, character-driven story.
Olivia Wilde Says Diane Keaton’s Influence Is ‘All Over’ ‘The Invite’
Wilde paid an emotional tribute to Diane Keaton by dedicating “The Invite” to the Oscar-winning actress, whom she credits as one of the project’s biggest creative inspirations.
Speaking at the film’s Los Angeles premiere, Wilde revealed that she had hoped Keaton, who died in October 2025, would have the chance to see the movie.
“I really wanted to show this movie to Diane. I don’t think that there is an Invite without Diane Keaton because she’s in so many of the films that inspired this film,” Wilde told The Hollywood Reporter.
She praised Keaton for portraying women who defied convention, adding that she was “the first actress I recognized to kind of represent a totally unique and complex woman.”
Wilde also recalled how Keaton personally encouraged her to direct and be fearless in her career. As a tribute, “The Invite” closes with a simple dedication reading, “For Diane.”