Olivia Wilde explains why she’s ‘motivated’ to fight through the ‘hellfire of misogyny’ in Hollywood

‘No matter how much the patriarchy relies on us to cut each other down in order to weaken our collective power, we have to resist the urge to play by their self-serving rules’

Olivia Wilde has spoken out about her career and why she is “motivated” to fight through the “hellfire of misogyny” that exists in Hollywood.

The 38-year-old director addressed some of the sexism she’s experienced throughout her career and the drama surrounding her new film, Don’t Worry Darling, while speaking at Elle’s Women in Hollywood Event on Monday. Her comments come weeks after she spoke out about the film’s cast, denying rumours about her feud with co-star Florence Pugh and shutting down assumptions that Harry Styles had spit on Chris Pine.

During her speech, Wilde noted how different events, such as the one hosted by Elle that night, are “crucial”, as they are opportunities for women to come together.

“They’re extremely impactful,” she explained. “They offer us a chance to look into each other’s eyes and say, ‘Keep going.’ Because, let’s face it, it’s not always easy to keep going.”

The Booksmart director went on to share how difficult it’s been for her to work in Hollywood, given all the sexism towards women.

“In fact, sometimes it’s tempting to excuse ourselves from the burning hellfire of the misogyny that defines this business and say, ‘Good night, good luck, I’d rather eat glass for a living,’” she continued.

Wilde also noted that she won’t let that misogyny allow her to “give up” on her career, which is a type of “encouragement” that she recently received “from other women in this business”.

She emphasised the importance of women in her field fighting together as “allies,” explaining: “Relying on each other not to fall back and stop advancing because we are up against a seriously massive force of opposition that has, for centuries, tried to rein us in. If one of us steps back, we all step back.”

Wildes said she won’t be abiding by the “self-serving rules” of the patriarchy, a lesson she wants to pass down to her children, Otis, eight, and Daisy, six, whom she shares with ex-fiancé Jason Sudeikis.

“No matter how much the patriarchy relies on us to cut each other down in order to weaken our collective power, we have to resist the urge to play by their self-serving rules,” she said. “Remind the world and specifically our daughters that we aren’t so easily manipulated.”

Wilde concluded her speech by poking fun at some of the widespread online drama surrounding Don’t Worry Darling and how it affected her.

“Let’s face it: You are not a woman in Hollywood until you’ve begged to be placed into a medically induced coma until your press tour is finished,” she joked. “Until then, you are just a woman residing in or around the Hollywood area.”

This isn’t Wilde’s first time addressing the behind-the-scenes rumours that have sparked about her film. During an interview with Elle magazine published last week, she continued to deny her feud with Pugh, encouraging viewers to focus on the “big questions” that are being asked in Don’t Worry Darling instead of the reports about its press tour.

“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,” she explained. “It’s brought my attention to the media and how it pits women against one another. It is shocking to see so many untruths about yourself traded as fact.”

Prior to the Elle event, Wilde and her ex made headlines this week after their former nanny did an interview about their breakup. On Monday, the actor and the Ted Lasso star issued a joint statement alleging that the former nanny had been on an “18 month long campaign” of harassment.