Olivia Wilde says Harry Styles relationship was ‘beautiful' despite backlash
The 'OC' alum began dating the One Direction star shortly after her divorce from Jason Sudeikis
Published June 17, 2026
Olivia Wilde is finally speaking out about her relationship with Harry Styles almost four years after it ended.
Speaking on the June 17 episode of Call Her Daddy, the actress-slash-filmmaker reflected on her whirlwind romance with the former and admitted she still doesn’t fully understand why their relationship sparked such a strong public reaction.
Wilde, 42, described her time with Styles, 32, in glowing terms. While discussing the criticism they faced, particularly over their 10-year age gap, she recalled how intensely some people reacted when they began dating.
“It really did upset people,” the OC alum said. “It was crazy, I don’t know how much I understand it yet. That’s one of the factors that I never really felt I like fully…I don’t know, people were f**king pissed.”
Wilde suggested part of the backlash may have stemmed from the “parasocial relationship” some fans have with Styles. Despite the outside noise, Wilde said their relationship remained largely untouched by public judgment.
“It’s wild ‘cause we had the loveliest relationship,” she shared. “Like so, so sweet and so beautiful and like really, actually very domestic and kind and lovely."
"I think that we existed in this little bubble," she continued, "and the judgement never really got into that bubble, which was a miracle and testament to us to making that happen.”
Wilde and Styles first got together after he joined the cast of her film Don’t Worry Darling in 2020. The pair dated for roughly two years, making several public appearances and travelling together before reports emerged in late 2022 that they had gone their separate ways.
According to People at the time, the former couple remained “still very close friends” following the breakup.
During her Call Her Daddy episode, Wilde also addressed the viral video which showed Styles seemingly spitting on his Don't Worry Darling co-star Chris Pine, clarifying that it did not happen despite how convincing the video appears.
