Olivia Wilde has taken to social media to address the unexpected attention she received during a recent red carpet event. On Saturday, May 2, the actress shared a post on Instagram, responding to the online chatter that followed her appearance at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Wilde attended the event on April 24 to promote her upcoming comedy film, The Invite, but the moment quickly became the subject of online discussion.
During an interview with SFGate, Wilde’s makeup and the camera angle led some viewers to compare her to Gollum from The Lord of the Rings. The now-viral clip captured a lighthearted exchange between Wilde and her brother, Charlie Cockburn, who joked, “Olivia Wilde, do you care to address recent rumors that you’re a resurrected corpse?”
Keeping the tone playful, Wilde acknowledged the situation, saying, “Listen, that is a fish eye lens. And I admit, is that my best angle? Was that my best-ever look? No. No. It’s startling. It’s a startling image.” She added, “I don’t know why I was so close to the camera. I didn’t have to be,” before jokingly stating, “I’m not dead.”
Wilde continued to explain the situation, repeating, “It was a fish-eye lens. I don’t know why I was so close to the camera. I didn’t have to be. That’s not the truth,” as she and her brother laughed it off. She captioned the Instagram Story — which included a side-by-side comparison of her red carpet shot and Gollum — with the message, “Leave it to your little brother to give you the maximum amount of s—.”
Despite the humorous response, the original interview clip drew a range of reactions online. While Wilde spoke about her new film being set in San Francisco, the comments section quickly filled with critiques of her appearance. One user wrote, “The cameraman really doing a disservice here,” while another remarked, “She looks as if she had found the one ring,” referencing the fantasy franchise.
Wilde’s latest project, The Invite, is also generating significant buzz. The dark comedy, directed by Wilde herself, stars Seth Rogen and Wilde as a married couple navigating a difficult relationship. The story revolves around “one disastrous hangout as the married couple downstairs invites the freewheeling couple from upstairs over for drinks,” according to The Guardian.
Back in January, the 42-year-old actress premiered the film at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received strong early reactions. During a post-screening Q&A, Wilde said, “This was the dream, to premiere right here for you guys,” alongside costars Rogen and Edward Norton. Festival director Kim Yutani praised the film, telling Wilde, “The standing ovation was very well deserved.”
Critics echoed this sentiment, with IndieWire noting that Wilde “knows exactly what she’s doing, how to calibrate between big laughs and broken hearts, how to use her cast to great effect, and how to surprise her audience at nearly every turn.” The review concluded, “Accept this invite, and fast.”
