Olivia Wilde has said it is wonderful that she is “happier” than she has ever been.
The director, 37, has been dating former One Direction singer Harry Styles after casting him in her psychological thriller film Don’t Worry Darling.
In an interview with US Vogue, Wilde addressed the furore over the 10-year age gap in their relationship.
.@oliviawilde’s feverishly anticipated sophomore feature isn’t even out yet, but the actor-filmmaker is already reinventing the Hollywood machine—and she’s happier than ever. https://t.co/ComJOJ44su pic.twitter.com/89IvKYpgN4
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) December 9, 2021
She said: “It’s obviously really tempting to correct a false narrative. But I think what you realise is that when you’re really happy, it doesn’t matter what strangers think about you.
“All that matters to you is what’s real, and what you love, and who you love.
“In the past 10 years, as a society, we have placed so much more value on the opinion of strangers rather than the people closest to us.
“I’m happier than I’ve ever been. And I’m healthier than I’ve ever been, and it’s just wonderful to feel that.”
Styles, 27, appears alongside British actress Florence Pugh in the film which is expected to premiere in September 2022, after filming had to be stopped several times during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Wilde had shortlisted Styles to play the role of Jack after admiring his performance in Dunkirk, but his tour conflicted with the scheduled shoot, and Shia LaBeouf was cast in the role.
LaBeouf was dropped after reportedly clashing with the team before filming began and Styles was able to take over following the cancellation of live music during the pandemic.
Describing the difficulty in filling the supporting male role, Wilde said: “I cannot tell you how many men read the script and said ‘unless it’s a two-hander, unless I’m in as much or more of the script than she is, it’s not worth it’.”
Wilde, who shares a seven-year-old son Otis and five-year-old daughter Daisy with ex-fiance Jason Sudeikis, has recently been spotted wearing Styles merchandise while he performs his Love On Tour concerts.
Talking about love, Wilde added: “I’ve been really lucky to be raised by a woman who has always been fiercely independent and true to herself, and a father who admires her.
“Oh my gosh, the way my parents gaze at one another. They truly feel the other is the most interesting person in the room.”