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Wilde: I resented being told to 'just smile'
24 Jun
Summary
- Wilde felt pressured to remain silent about her relationship with Harry Styles.
- She deeply dislikes the feeling of being misunderstood by the public.
- Wilde is preparing for the release of her third directorial feature, 'The Invite'.

Olivia Wilde is breaking her silence on the intense media scrutiny she endured during the 2022 release of her film 'Don't Worry Darling.' Wilde, who directed the psychological thriller and began dating star Harry Styles, found herself under a barrage of rumors and gossip.
She recently shared with The Cut that she resented being told by media handlers to "just go out there and smile" and "not say a f---ing word" about her relationship. This pressure to remain silent, rather than backlash over their age difference or being served divorce papers from Jason Sudeikis, particularly provoked her.
Wilde explained, "I deeply hate the feeling of being misunderstood." She also touched on the public's reaction to her romance with Styles on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, noting that the "shitstorm" of online commentary was bewildering. Styles himself admitted to being puzzled by the fervor surrounding their relationship, describing social media as a "shitstorm of people trying to be awful to people."