Olivia Wilde Refutes Rumors of On-Set Feud with Florence Pugh

Vulture reported that a “blowout argument” and a screaming match occurred between director Olivia Wilde and lead actress Florence Pugh roughly three-quarters through filming, citing Pugh’s frustration with Wilde’s “frequent unexplained absences” and the director’s romance with co-star Harry Styles. The claim first appeared in September 2022 ahead of the film’s release.

Olivia Wilde refuses long-running Florence Pugh feud speculation

Don’t Worry Darling, a 2022 psychological thriller starring Pugh and Styles, was directed by Wilde. Production attracted tabloid attention because Wilde’s relationship with Styles became public and because rumors suggested tension between Wilde and Pugh.

Variety Magazine

The principal parties are director Olivia Wilde, actress Florence Pugh, co-star Harry Styles, New Line Cinema (then chaired by Toby Emmerich), and a crew of about 40 members, including producer Katie Silberman, cinematographer Matthew Libatique and costume designer Arianne Phillips, who later issued a joint statement.

Variety Magazine

In a recent interview with The Cut, Wilde said she never had a screaming match, was always present on set, and that studio executives instructed her to stay silent about the rumors. She described that instruction as resentful but formative for future publicity. A joint statement from the crew denied any altercation, praised Wilde’s leadership, and called allegations of unprofessional behavior false.

The Wrap

Vulture’s September 2022 report linked the alleged argument to Wilde’s romance with Styles and portrayed the incident as evidence of unprofessional conduct. Page Six and other outlets repeated the claim, citing an unnamed insider who said the argument occurred in January 2021 and that a screaming match took place.

Page Six

Wilde and the crew categorically deny any screaming match, while Vulture and unnamed sources assert it happened. No comment from Pugh appears in the sources. The timing of the alleged incident varies between “three-quarters through production” and January 2021. The claim that Pugh contacted New Line Cinema chairman Toby Emmerich to avoid promotional duties remains unverified.

Olivia Wilde refuses long-running Florence Pugh feud speculation

• “I’ve never had a screaming match on my set. I was never not available on set. I wanted to be like, ‘None of this is true,’” — Olivia Wilde, The Cut interview

Variety Magazine

• “I was told, ‘Don’t say a fucking word. Just go out there and smile.’ I resent that, but it taught me it’s not the way I want to handle things.” — Olivia Wilde, The Cut interview

Variety Magazine

• “There was never a screaming match between our director and anyone, let alone a member of our cast.” — Joint crew statement

Variety Magazine

• “People were f–king pissed,” — Olivia Wilde, Call Her Daddy podcast

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