Rumors of a rift between Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh have been making headlines for months.
Rumors of a rift between Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh have been flooding headlines for months. While the two have both tried their best to dispel the rumors, the questions about what really happened behind the scenes of Don't Worry Darling keep coming. Now, Wilde -- who both directed and acted in the film which stars Pugh, Harry Styles and Chris Pine -- is addressing the situation with a quote from Pugh herself.
“It is shocking to see so many untruths about yourself traded as fact,” Wilde says in an interview for Elle's 2022 Women in Hollywood November issue. “Florence had a really wise comment that we didn’t sign up for a reality show."
"And I love that she put it that way, because it’s as though the general public feels that if you are making something that you’re selling to the public, you somehow have accepted that your life will be torn to shreds by a pack of wolves," Wilde continues. "No, that’s actually not part of the job description. Never was.”
Wilde also expresses her disappointment in how the story has been “minimized into bite-size TikTok points.”
“This film is trying to ask big questions, but [it’s] ‘Let’s just focus on this sideshow over here,’ ” she adds. “Having been a known figure for a while...makes me well-equipped to have a Teflon exterior. But it also means that you’re under a different kind of microscope. It’s brought my attention to the media and how it pits women against one another.”
In the interview, Wilde also praises Pugh for her performance in the film. “She’s so generous in her acting in every scene," Wilde says. "She makes everyone around her better.”
Wilde previously addressed the "endless tabloid gossip" surrounding her during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival while promoting the film. "As for all the endless tabloid gossip and all the noise out there, I mean, the internet feeds itself," Wilde told the crowd when asked to "clear the air" about a falling out with Pugh. "I don't feel the need to contribute. It's sufficiently well nourished."
Vulture later reported that a "screaming match" took place between Wilde and Pugh while filming, a report that the movie's crew refuted, with 40 of them signing their names to a statement vehemently denying the allegation.
"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," producer Miri Yoon told ET in a statement. "Any allegations about unprofessional behavior on the set of Don't Worry Darling are completely false."
"Olivia is an incredible leader and director who was present with and involved in every aspect of production. She ran this set with class and respect for everyone involved," the statement continued. "There was never a screaming match between our director and anyone, let alone a member of our cast. We are happy to put our names on this, as real people who worked on the film, and who have witnessed and benefitted from the collaborative and safe space Olivia creates as a director and leader. We're also thrilled that the movie is in theaters this weekend. We can't wait for you to see it on the big screen."
Amid all of the chatter, both Pugh and Wilde took to social media to subtly dispel the gossip, with posts praising the film and all who worked on it.
"Don’t Worry Darling is officially open. Aaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!" Wilde wrote. "I’m so deeply grateful for this experience, and for the extraordinary effort of the group of artists who made it happen. We got together to tell a story for you, and we hope you have fun with it."
Pugh, meanwhile, shared a post of her own which read, "This film was such an epic story on such a large scale to shoot, all while during peak COVID times. For that I will always be grateful. To all of you who helped make this, your dedication and love was seen daily - thank you."
The actress also included a series of photos she took during filming, which included one of her and Wilde.
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