Don’t Worry Darling is closing in on its theatrical debut later this month, but one may feel as though the real show has been the behind-the-scenes drama that’s been making its rounds on the internet. From the rumors surrounding Harry Styles’ alleged spitting on Chris Pine at the Venice Film Festival premiere to the “Miss Flo” farce brought on by walking controversy Shia LaBeouf, it will be hard for Olivia Wilde’s sophomore directorial feature to detach itself from the off-screen ugliness.
But Wilde hasn’t been having any of it; throughout all the backlash, rumors, and takedowns, regardless of any real or imagined weight to them, the director refuses to give any of this drama a leg to stand on, especially when such things aim for her directly.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Wilde addressed the rumor that she neglected her duties as a director as a result of her infatuation with actor Harry Styles, leaving other members of the team, such as the film’s leading actress Florence Pugh, to take up those duties in her stead. She vehemently denied it, standing up for her work ethic and blasting the culture that’s allowing these rumors to circulate.
It is ironic that now, with my second film—which is again about the incredible power of women, what we’re capable of when we unite, and how easy it is to strip a woman of power by using other women to judge and shame them—we’re talking about this. The idea that I had five seconds in the day to be distracted by anything is laughable. I was there before everyone. I was there after everyone. And it was a dream. It’s not like this work was not enjoyable. It was just all-encompassing.
Don’t Worry Darling will release in theaters on Sep. 23.