Olivia Wilde Turns Heads in Adidas x Gucci as Don’t Worry Darling Sparks Controversy

Director Olivia Wilde attended the 70th San Sebastián International Film Festival in 2022 to promote her R-rated psychological thriller, Don’t Worry Darling, stepping out solo amid swirling controversy and mixed early reviews.

Olivia Wilde arriving solo and greeting fans outside the Maria Cristina Hotel in Spain for the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 17, 2022 (Credit: Sean Thornton / Cover Images)

Known for her exotic eyes, she greeted her fans in yellow Adidas x Gucci Gazelle sneakers with Trefoil print and stripes, baggy blue Khaite ‘Preen’ jeans, a Balenciaga Shrunk Tuxedo double-breasted jacket that you can buy at Farfetch, LAPIMA sunglasses, and a white Hanes T-shirt. Perhaps she borrowed her shoes from Brad Pitt?

Effortlessly chic: Olivia Wilde connects with fans, showcasing her yellow Adidas x Gucci Gazelle sneakers, baggy jeans, and a sharp tuxedo jacket (Credit: Sean Thornton / Cover Images)

Olivia Wilde Addresses Casting Drama and Shia LaBeouf’s Departure from Don’t Worry Darling

The then-38-year-old star addressed the public’s concerns in an interview with Variety. She discussed the scandals plaguing her film, from her affair with Harry Styles to her being “blown the fuck away” by Florence Pugh.

Olivia also discussed her claims that she fired Shia LaBeouf, who insisted that he quit due to a lack of rehearsal time between actors.

She said that it was Shia’s behavior that convinced her to fire him because “for our film, what we really needed was an energy that was incredibly supportive.”

Olivia added that she knew that she was “going to be asking Florence to be in very vulnerable situations, and my priority was making her feel safe and making her feel supported.”

Florence Pugh’s performance impressed Olivia Wilde so much that she was “blown the fuck away” (Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Olivia Wilde on Centering Female Pleasure in Don’t Worry Darling’s Intimate Scenes

There’s also some buzz regarding the sex scenes in the movie, with Olivia declaring that the guys “don’t come in this film.”

“Female pleasure, the best versions of it that you see nowadays, are in queer films,” she explained. “Why are we more comfortable with female pleasure when it’s two women on film? In hetero sex scenes in film, the focus on men as the recipients of pleasure is almost ubiquitous.”

The sex scenes in the film have become somewhat of a major talking point with all the buzz surrounding them (Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Critics Slam Don’t Worry Darling for Style Over Substance Despite Strong Performances

It seems that Olivia can’t catch a break. Despite the hype surrounding the film, it has been flooded with negative reviews from critics and general audiences alike.

Olivia Wilde wearing a long-sleeved floral dress from Kwaidan Editions at the Don’t Worry Darling photocall during the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival (Credit: Sean Thornton / Cover Images)

Tomris Laffly of The A.V. Club wrote a mixed review, stating that “Perhaps the chief deficit of Don’t Worry Darling isn’t even predictability, but a discernible lack of new ideas of its own.”

Much of the praise was for Florence Pugh, whom Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair called “a commanding and centered actor who makes the most of the hash she’s served.”

However, the same can’t be said about her leading man, Harry Styles, whom everyone agreed was out of his depth and was “the weak link,” according to Bilge Ebiri of Vulture.

Plenty of critics echoed this statement, including Steph Green from the BBC, who stated that “Harry Styles doesn’t feel up to the material here, with leaden line delivery and a lack of light and shade making his scenes opposite Pugh fall flat.”

Why Don’t Worry Darling Is a Meaningful Milestone for Olivia Wilde as a Female Director

Despite the negative reviews, there’s plenty of buzz surrounding the film due to the multiple headlines and the large number of Harry Styles fans who will undoubtedly flock to the theaters for a glimpse of their favorite superstar.

Olivia Wilde wearing a teal sequined dress from Valentino Fall 2022 Haute Couture at the Don’t Worry Darling premiere held during the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival (Credit: Sean Thornton / Cover Images)

As it is a woman-directed film, that fact alone is also a significant achievement in and of itself.

“It’s harder for women to get a second chance at directing,” Olivia told Variety. “Fewer people will invest in the second film of a woman than a man.”

The actress-turned-director added that she was “so lucky” because her film “didn’t make a billion dollars.” But it “struck enough of a nerve in the cultural zeitgeist that I was allowed to have another opportunity.”

She then proudly declared that “I really feel, at this point, that I have earned the right to say I’m a director.”

Critics say Harry Styles as Jack Chambers falls flat in scenes with Florence Pugh as Alice Chambers in Don’t Worry Darling (Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)