“People will look for drama anywhere they can. Harry did not spit on Chris, in fact.” — @oliviawilde on #spitgate
More tonight on @CBS at 11:35/10:35c. #LSSC pic.twitter.com/RQS54WJH0G
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) September 22, 2022
Olivia Wilde weighs in on one of the major controversies surrounding “Don’t worry, honey.” The 38-year-old director appears on Thursday’s episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and discusses allegations that Harry Styles spat on Chris Pine and the premiere of their film.
“He didn’t do it,” Wilde says of her real—life boyfriend spitting on the actor. “I think this is a great example of people looking for drama wherever they can. Harry didn’t really give a damn about Chris. He really didn’t spit!”
Pine had previously denied the incident in a statement through his representative.
“This is a ridiculous story — a complete fiction and the result of a strange online illusion, which is clearly deceptive and allows stupid speculation. Just to be clear, Harry Styles didn’t spit on Chris Pine,” his rep told ET. “There is nothing but respect between these two men, and any suggestion to the contrary is a blatant attempt to create a drama that simply does not exist.”
Styles also reacted to this story, joking on stage during the concert: “It’s wonderful, wonderful, wonderful to be back in New York. I just dropped by Venice very quickly to spit on Chris Pine. But don’t worry, we’re back.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Wilde appeared on the Kelly Clarkson show and talked about the ongoing “soap opera” with the actors of her film.
“Sometimes it’s hard, but at the end of the day, I’m so lucky,” she said. “I’m so lucky, and there are people facing a lot of really hard things. People in Jackson, Mississippi, don’t have water. There are people everywhere dealing with real health crises. My stuff is there, but I’m alive and my kids are alive, and that’s what helps me get through this.”
Wilde, who shares 5-year-old Daisy and 8-year-old Otis with her ex Jason Sudeikis, says she reminds herself of things she should be grateful for “every single day.”
“I’m not online, I’m not on Instagram… I think it really helps if you focus on what’s real, on your circle of friends that you trust, on what’s real, on the things that make you happy, on the people you love, on the people who love you,” she said. “Just keep your mind on what’s real, I think that’s how I experience it.”… I think:”God, it could have been a lot worse. We are alive, and everything will be fine.””
Although Wilde knows there is so much truth on an intellectual level, she acknowledged that it can be “so tempting” to fight back against incorrect narratives.
“It’s so tempting, and then I think of Michelle Obama [saying], ‘They’re going down, we’re going up. They go down, we go up.” I’m trying, but it’s difficult,” she said. “And I think:” What do I model for my children? How do I want my daughter to handle bullies in high school?” I want her to just look at the prize and keep walking, ignoring the noise. That’s what prevents me from interfering.”
“It’s just a losing battle. As soon as you get involved in it, it will consume you,” Wilde added. “But yes, of course, it’s tempting. That’s why you have friends and your pillow to yell at, and everyone else.”
Wilde added that he doesn’t mind that much of the drama surrounding the film demonstrates double standards in the industry.
“I think you’ll find it everywhere. Every woman can relate to this,” Wilde said. “… Being a female director, there aren’t that many of us… so I’m ready for that. I think sometimes it hurts me when it comes from another woman, and I’m like, “Can we just give each other the benefit of the doubt and just cover for each other? Wouldn’t that be great?”
“It seems that the lighting is always different. I envy my male colleagues the way they seem to be able to live their lives without judgment,” she added. “… But, in the end, I’m just lucky to have this job. I’m so grateful for her. Lighting, again, is just noise. If I get stuck on this, I get distracted, so I just explode.”
What Wilde would like people to focus on is her film, which has an “amazing cast,” including Florence Pugh.
“I watched Midsommar with Florence, and then I met her and thought: “That’s it. Hang up. She’s our main one,” Wilde said amid ongoing rumors of a feud between her and the actress. “She’s outstanding. I mean, she’s incredible. We were so lucky that she played the main role. She is the heart of the film.
As for Styles, Wilde wasn’t shy about praising him either.
“I think musicians are always good… musicians, you guys make a commitment. You can’t not commit yourself,” she said. “… Harry was no different. It was so professional, so dedicated and so joyful.”
When it comes to creating the project, Wilde said that doing it in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic was “really awesome because everyone just got closer.”
“We are so lucky to be doing art in difficult times for everyone,” she said. “We supported each other and we just got through it.”
