Olivia Wilde has shared her perspective on the necessity of “difficult conversations” in relationships, revealing that she believes it is practically impossible to keep a long-term romance alive without tackling them head-on.
Speaking to PEOPLE about her new film The Invite, the 42-year-old actress reflected on the central themes of the story, admitting that maintaining a lasting connection takes far more than just initial chemistry.
Wilde explained that relationships are undeniably hard, noting that it can feel completely impossible at times to sustain a bond with one person for a very long period if you avoid having the exact kind of tough, uncomfortable discussions that the movie explores.
The filmmaker’s insight comes at a time when she has been incredibly open about the romantic realities in her own life, particularly regarding her high-profile split from former fiancé Jason Sudeikis, with whom she shares two children, 12-year-old Otis and nine-year-old Daisy.
During a recent appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Wilde admitted it was no surprise to her that she ended up making a comedy about the immense difficulty of knowing when a relationship is officially over, drawing heavily from her own experience.
She opened up about the precise moment she realized her relationship with the 50-year-old actor was finished, recalling a specific car ride home from her birthday party in March 2020.
Wilde shared that she and Sudeikis had been navigating a real bumpy ride for a while, and when she asked him during the drive if he had given her a birthday present, he replied by asking what he would even get her because he didn’t know her.
Wilde confessed that he wasn’t wrong and that they simply did not know each other anymore.
Wilde’s latest project channelled these complex marital dynamics into a comedy centered on an unforgettable dinner party, where she stars alongside a stellar ensemble cast including Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton.
The plot follows a married couple who invite their loud upstairs neighbors over for the evening, only to be caught completely off guard by a shocking proposition that forces them to deeply question their own relationship.
The Invite is based on the highly acclaimed Spanish film The People Upstairs, a story that has already inspired several international adaptations across Italy, France, Switzerland, and South Korea.
