Summary
Overview
Louis Theroux sits down with director and actor Olivia Wilde to discuss her new film 'The Invite,' a comedy about mature relationships, intimacy, and marriage. The conversation ranges from the viral backlash around 'Don't Worry Darling' to masculinity politics, creative collaboration, and Wilde's literary family background. They explore themes of sexual dynamics in long-term relationships, the importance of maintaining desire, and what it takes to keep love alive. Wilde shares behind-the-scenes insights about working with Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz, and reflects on her theatrical past and the Oscar Wilde namesake.
The Invite: Marriage, Sex, and Mature Relationships
Wilde introduces 'The Invite,' a film about two couples spending an evening together that explores intimacy in long marriages. The movie examines themes of sexuality, polyamory, and communication, drawing on Oscar Wilde's quote that 'one should always be in love, that is the reason one should never marry.' Wilde explains how the film challenges audiences to question what makes a relationship work and whether lack of sex signals a dying partnership or merely a friendship.
- The Invite is a comedy about two couples examining intimacy, sex, and communication in long-term relationships
- Film opens with Oscar Wilde quote: 'one should always be in love, that is the reason one should never marry'
- Wilde consulted with Esther Perel, author of 'Mating in Captivity,' about maintaining physical intimacy
- The film suggests that no sex in a relationship might indicate it's become a friendship or roommate situation rather than a romance
- Wilde argues that women want sex as much as men, challenging common assumptions about desire in marriage
" I think my real conclusion is that no sex is not normal and that is something that I think a lot of people have misunderstood. "
" The opposite of love isn't hate, I think it's indifference. I don't even have time for your feelings. "
" Foreplay starts 12 hours before. "
Don't Worry Darling: Navigating the Media Tornado
Wilde reflects on the intense media scrutiny surrounding 'Don't Worry Darling,' which overshadowed conversations about the film's actual themes. She describes experiencing what she calls 'the garbage disposal' of internet culture for the first time, learning not to confuse her real life with tabloid representations. Despite the controversy, she views the experience as fascinating in retrospect—like witnessing a tornado from the inside.
- Don't Worry Darling explores simulation theory and examines how the patriarchy is fetishized in American culture
- The film's Chris Pine character was partly inspired by Jordan Peterson, which led to Peterson crying on Piers Morgan's show
- Media controversy prevented discussions about the film's actual themes and meanings
- Wilde learned not to confuse real life with tabloid representations during the media storm
- She describes the experience as 'witnessing a tornado from the inside' but now finds it fascinating
" I was so naive up until that point about the grinder, the kind of the garbage disposal that the Internet can be. "
" You mustn't confuse your real life with the one you're seeing reflected in those tabloids because it is a very different thing. It's not actually a reflection of who you are. "
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