Olivia Wilde has denied rumours that she had an affair with Harry Styles while she was still in a relationship with Jason Sudeikis.
The Don’t Worry Darling director, 38, and Styles, 28, have been romantically linked since January 2021, after the pair met on the set of their upcoming psychological thriller in September 2020.
However, the timing of the couple’s alleged relationship has sparked questions since they were first photographed holding hands, as Sudeikis, who was engaged to Wilde for seven years and who shares children Otis, eight, and Daisy, five, with the House star, revealed that they had ended their own relationship just two months earlier, in November 2020.
In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Wilde addressed the speculation about a possible overlapping timeline, with the actor claiming that the rumours she left Sudeikis for Styles are “complete horses**t”.
“The complete horses**t idea that I left Jason for Harry is completely inaccurate,” she said. “Our relationship was long over before I met Harry. Like any relationship that ends, it doesn’t end overnight.”
According to Wilde, she and the Ted Lasso star had a “very bumpy road” and, despite ending their relationship in the beginning of the pandemic, continued to live together during lockdown to coparent their two children.
However, she said the former couple ultimately decided to move into separate homes once it became clear it was the “responsible” thing to do.
“Unfortunately, Jason and I had a very bumpy road, and we officially dissolved the relationship towards the beginning of the pandemic. We were raising two kids during lockdown, so we co-parented through that time,” she clarified. “Once it became clear that cohabitating was no longer beneficial for the children, it became the responsible thing to not, because we could be better parents as friends who live in different houses.”
While speaking about the narrative surrounding her romantic life, Wilde also expressed her frustration with the internet speculation, with the actor noting that her and Sudeikis’ children have been “through enough”.
“But, yeah,” she said. “I don’t understand the need to create false narratives and drama around this kind of stuff. It’s like, haven’t the kids been through enough?”
As for how she handles the topic with her young children, she told Vanity Fair that she is “very up front” about the situation.
“They understand the concept of making decisions to protect yourself and to live an authentic, happy life,” she said. “They really do. I evolved a lot between when I was 27 and 35. I found myself as a director. And I think I found myself as an individual.
“And sometimes when you evolve, you evolve out of relationships that were based on an earlier version of yourself.”
Wilde also spoke of the criticism that she faces when she is photographed with Styles, and not with her children, with the director telling the outlet that people assume she is neglecting her children. However, she noted that her ex has equal custody, and that when her children are with their father, she continues to “live [her] life”.
“I’ve had women judging me for separating from Jason. There are people who feel entitled to hurl horrendous insults at me and my family. Telling me I’m a terrible mother. Threatening me and my kids or saying I should lose my children,” she said, adding: “When they are with their father, I trust him to be a great parent. So when they’re not with me, I continue to live my life. But the judgment I’ve seen from people for living my life…”
Wilde’s comments come after Styles recently spoke out about the criticism directed at his girlfriend since the pair began dating, with the pop star telling Rolling Stone last month that Twitter is a “s***storm of people trying to be awful to people” and that it “obviously doesn’t make [him] feel good”.
However, while speaking to Vanity Fair, Wilde made a point of noting that the singer’s fans have welcomed her graciously. “His fans are a beautiful and loving group of people. I have had the opportunity to witness some of the most moving examples of compassion and acceptance,” she said.
