Olivia Wilde is continuing to battle rumours of an on-set feud between her and the star of her new film, Florence Pugh.
The release of Don’t Worry Darling, which Wilde directed, was overshadowed by reports of behind-the-scenes drama – from Shia LaBeouf denying he was fired from the project to Harry Styles appearing to spit on Chris Pine (which Wilde has since denied).
Speaking to Elle magazine as part of their Women in Hollywood series, Wilde doubled down on her denial of the animosity between her and Pugh, calling the rumours “untruths”.
“This film is trying to ask big questions, but [it’s] ‘Let’s just focus on this sideshow over here,’” the director, who also acts in the film, said.
“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. It’s brought my attention to the media and how it pits women against one another.”
She continued: “It is shocking to see so many untruths about yourself traded as fact.”
Wilde once again heaped praise upon Pugh, who was lauded by critics for her turn as Alice Chambers in the psychological thriller.
“She’s so generous in her acting in every scene. She makes everyone around her better,” Wilde said. “Florence had a really wise comment that we didn’t sign up for a reality show.
“And I love that she put it that way, because it’s as though the general public feels that if you are making something that you’re selling to the public, you somehow have accepted that your life will be torn to shreds by a pack of wolves. No, that’s actually not part of the job description. Never was.”
Pugh has not openly commented on the reported feud – something that has fuelled the rumours as the actor has previously been a vocal presence on social media.
However, Pugh did recently share a photo set to Instagram of the film’s cast and crew, writing in the caption that she would “always be grateful” for her time on the film.
Don’t Worry Darling is in cinemas now.
