Olivia Wilde, 42, has achieved what many consider the year's biggest comeback with her third directorial effort, The Invite. The film, a tense four-way-sex comedy, has been met with critical acclaim and audience enthusiasm, with sold-out screenings and roaring laughter throughout its 107-minute runtime.
A Career Defined by Resilience
Wilde's directorial debut, Booksmart (2019), was highly praised but underperformed at the box office. Her second film, Don't Worry Darling, was plagued by scandal. Now, The Invite has changed the narrative. 'I believe in early failure,' Wilde recently declared, reflecting on her journey. She told Variety: 'There were a lot of early bumps, and I think that taught me to have level-headed expectations for Hollywood. So my next movie had a 38 on Rotten Tomatoes, and I've been reflecting on how healthy it is to be reminded of how fickle it all is.'
Overcoming Personal and Professional Hurdles
Wilde's career has been overshadowed by intense scrutiny of her personal life. In April 2022, she was served custody papers by ex-fiancé Jason Sudeikis while on stage at CinemaCon, an incident she described as 'traumatising.' Her subsequent two-year relationship with Harry Styles, marked by a significant age gap, drew misogynistic backlash. 'It's almost like the happiness made them mad,' Wilde said. 'I would go to his shows and dance, and people were like, “Oh! How could she? … How dare you dance and smile?”' She added to The Cut: 'I became the full-on villain. Like Cruella.'
A Stellar Cast and Oscar Buzz
The Invite stars Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton, with Wilde herself playing the comedic role of Angela. The film is already generating Oscar buzz for 2027. Wilde's upcoming project, I Want Your Sex, an erotic comedy about an age-gap relationship, is being hailed as her best performance yet. 'I do have that feeling that if I never made anything else, I'd be OK,' she says of The Invite, though it seems unlikely to be her last.
