Actress and director Olivia Wilde has offered a candid reflection on her past relationship with pop superstar Harry Styles, characterising their time together as 'wholesome and sweet' despite considerable public and media scrutiny. Speaking in a recent interview on the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast, Wilde recounted feeling a profound disconnect from the narrative surrounding her during their relationship, which began after Styles was cast in her 2020 film, 'Don't Worry Darling'. They reportedly separated in late 2022.
Wilde, who is 10 years Styles' senior, addressed specific areas of public criticism, including their age difference and what she described as false assumptions about her custody arrangements with her former partner, Jason Sudeikis. She stated that her custody agreement legally prevented her from seeing her children half of the time, debunking the idea that she was neglecting them to be with Styles. She expressed surprise at how 'complete fiction traded as fact' and highlighted that her private life was 'very far from it and very actually wholesome and sweet'.
The intensity of the public reaction, Wilde suggested, was partly fuelled by the 'parasocial relationship' fans often develop with celebrities like Styles. She noted, 'People were fucking pissed. It also had a lot to do with the parasocial relationship people have with [Styles]. He carries it with grace.' Wilde observed that their apparent happiness seemed to provoke anger in some quarters, citing examples like her attending his concerts and dancing, which drew criticism.
Despite the challenges, Wilde maintains positive sentiments about Styles, who is now reportedly engaged to Zoe Kravitz. She described their bond as 'the loveliest relationship – so, so sweet and so beautiful and really actually very domestic and kind and lovely.' She added that they managed to exist within 'this little bubble,' remarking that 'the judgment never really got into that bubble, which was a miracle.'
In separate news, Wilde is preparing for the release of her upcoming film, 'I Want Your Sex', where she stars alongside Charli XCX. The film, directed by Gregg Araki, is scheduled to hit cinemas in July. Meanwhile, Harry Styles recently commenced a significant run of shows at Wembley Stadium as part of his 'Together, Together' tour, which includes multiple dates throughout June and into July. He is also donating £1 from every ticket sold to LIVE's levy, an initiative aimed at supporting UK grassroots music venues and emerging talent.