Olivia Wilde is addressing the drama behind her recent film Don’t Worry Darling.

In an interview with Elle for the magazine’s 2022 Women in Hollywood November issue, Wilde, who directs and stars in the movie, talked about her “disappointment” over the conversations about the film offscreen instead of the film’s message.

“This film is trying to ask questions, but [it’s], ‘Let’s just focus on this sideshow over here,'” Wilde said.

The film, which came in at #1 its opening weekend in September, has been at the center of tabloid gossip and fan speculation about what happened behind the scenes, including a rumored feud between Wilde and the film’s leading star, Florence Pugh.

“It’s brought my attention to the media and how it pits women against one another,” said Wilde, who praised Pugh’s work in Don’t Worry Darling. “She’s so generous in her acting in every scene. She makes everyone around her better.”

Harry Styles, Chris Pine and Gemma Chan star alongside Pugh and Wilde in Don’t Worry Darling, which is about a picture-perfect 1950s community called Victory, an experimental company town that houses the men who work on a top-secret project. The film’s underlying theme centers on women’s rights and feminism.

Wilde says, “I had no interest in making a feminist parable that was judgy or that defined men as bad and women as good. I was much more interested in that tense space where we recognize our own participation in the system that objectifies us.”

Wilde is one of eight stars featured in Elle for creative and cultural contributions in music, film and television.

Elle’s 2022 Women in Hollywood November issue hits newsstands on Nov. 1, 2022.
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