Speaking at an event for Elle magazine’s Women in Hollywood issue, “Don’t Worry Darling” director Olivia Wilde spoke openly about the challenges she’s faced in recent weeks and throughout her career.
“I was an actress who started producing and then finally got the courage to start directing, and I wouldn’t have started any of it at all if I knew Twitter would be invented,” Wilde joked during her speech. “But here I am. It’s a real thrill to have what is undeniably the greatest job on the planet.”
Wilde was honored by Elle alongside other top-level stars, including Anne Hathaway, Ariana DeBose, Sigourney Weaver, Sydney Sweeney, and Michelle Yeoh. “I am gobsmacked by this moment. I am deeply grateful for the support that it represents,” Wilde said. “These opportunities like tonight, to gather as women, are crucial. They’re extremely impactful. They offer us a chance to look into each other’s eyes and say, ‘Keep going.’ Because let’s face it, it’s not always easy to keep going. In fact, sometimes it’s tempting to excuse ourselves from the burning hellfire of the misogyny that defines this business and say, ‘Good night, good luck, I’d rather eat glass for a living.’”
Wilde’s second effort as a director, “Don’t Worry Darling,” became a tabloid fixture in the months leading up to its release, with Wilde often positioned at odds with her film’s star, Florence Pugh. When that narrative reached its apex as the movie arrived in theaters last month, numerous members of the “Don’t Worry Darling” crew pushed back on the notion of conflict. “As a crew, we’ve avoided addressing the absurd gossip surrounding the movie we’re so proud of, but feel the need to correct the anonymous ‘sources’ quoted in a recent article,” members of the crew said in a statement after Vulture published a piece alleging Wilde and Pugh had a “blowout argument” on set. “Any allegations about unprofessional behavior on the set of ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ are completely false.”
Wilde didn’t address the specific gossip during her speech on Monday but did allude to the uproar. “Recently, I’ve had several opportunities to personally experience this power of encouragement from other women in this business. It often takes the form of a tight grip of your shoulders and an intense stare into your eyes and a defiant ‘Do not let them f–k with you.’ And it’s always really tempting to reply, ‘Well, if I didn’t know things were bad before, I do now.’ Just kidding; it’s always very much appreciated,” she quipped. “But, you know, these moments are profound. Because they’re maybe our most honest acknowledgment of a constant battle we are all fighting, in which we are allies. Relying on each other not to fall back and stop advancing because we are up against a seriously massive force of opposition that has, for centuries, tried to rein us in. If one of us steps back, we all step back.”
Broadly addressing the difficulties many women face in Hollywood, Wilde added, “In some ways, the challenges are all a part of it, right? Real badges of honor, par for the course. Let’s face it: You are 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.”
“Don’t Worry Darling” is still out in theaters and will become available as a digital rental and for purchase on October 24.
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