Olivia Wilde has finally broken her silence on the alleged feud with Florence Pugh during the production of the 2022 film Don't Worry Darling, categorically denying reports of a "screaming match" on set. In an interview with The Cut, Wilde, 42, addressed the rumors that she and Pugh, 30, clashed while filming the psychological thriller, which Wilde directed and in which Pugh starred alongside Harry Styles.
Wilde denies on-set confrontation
"I have never had a screaming match on my set," Wilde told The Cut. "I was never not available on set. I wanted to be like, 'None of this is true.'" She also revealed that she was advised to stay silent amid the swirling gossip. "I was told, 'Don't say a f***ing word. Just go out there and smile.' I resent that, but it taught me it's not the way I want to handle things."
The alleged feud reportedly stemmed from Pugh's frustration over Wilde's relationship with Styles, which began while Wilde was still engaged to actor Jason Sudeikis, the father of her two children. Sources claimed that Pugh saw Wilde and Styles being affectionate on set, which did not sit well with her. One source told Page Six: "I can tell you for a fact that Flo seeing Olivia and Harry all over each other on set did not go down well as Olivia was still with Jason when she first hooked up with Harry."
Advice from Jennifer Garner
Wilde turned to fellow actress Jennifer Garner for guidance during the controversy. "She said it's like you get cast in a soap opera by the public. And they assign you an obvious archetype: the damsel in distress, the good girl, the pretty girl. I became the full-on villain. Like Cruella," Wilde recalled.
The alleged tension was said to have escalated when Wilde referred to Pugh as "Miss Flo" and claimed she needed a "wake-up call" during a rehearsal. A source told Vulture: "Olivia and Harry would just disappear."
Wilde's praise for Pugh at Venice Film Festival
Despite the rumors, Wilde publicly praised Pugh during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival, which Pugh did not attend due to scheduling conflicts with Dune. When asked about a possible falling out, Wilde responded: "Florence is a force and we are so grateful that she is able to make it tonight despite being in production on Dune. I know as a director how disruptive it is to lose an actor even for a day so I'm very grateful to her and Denis Villeneuve for helping us – we're really thrilled we'll get to celebrate her work tonight."
She added: "I can't say enough how honoured I am to have her as our lead. She's amazing in the film and, as for all the endless tabloid gossip and all the noise out there, I mean, the internet feeds itself. I don't feel the need to contribute, I think it's sufficiently well nourished."
Crew members defend Wilde
A group of 40 crew members who worked on the film issued a statement to "correct" the "completely false" claims. The statement read: "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. Any allegations about unprofessional behaviour on the set 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. There was never a screaming match between our director and anyone, let alone a member of our cast."
The Mirror has approached Florence Pugh's spokesperson for comment.
