Director and star Olivia Wilde has recounted a surprising moment on the set of her latest film, ‘The Invite,’ where actress Penélope Cruz spontaneously improvised a kiss with her. The incident occurred during filming, leaving Wilde momentarily stunned and momentarily losing her composure.
An Unexpected On-Screen Moment
Wilde, who both directs and stars in ‘The Invite,’ described the scene during an appearance on Jessie Ware’s “Table Manners” podcast. The film centers on two couples whose dinner party takes a dramatic and unexpected turn. During one interaction, Cruz, without prior arrangement, kissed Wilde.
Recalling the event, Wilde, 42, explained, “There’s a moment in the film where she improvised a kiss with me. I was so shocked when she did it, that I actually turned my head and looked directly into the lens, and then through my camera operator, who said, ‘Olivia,’ and I said, ‘Namaste!’ for some reason.”
She elaborated on her reaction: “That’s the only thing that came to my mind. Namaste, and everyone was like, what, and I was like, I don’t know, my mind went blank because I was so struck by this moment. I lost control. I was so madly in love with it.” The unexpected gesture clearly caught Wilde off guard, leading to a memorable, albeit unplanned, on-screen reaction.
Wilde’s Hesitation to Star in ‘The Invite’
Interestingly, Wilde revealed that her initial involvement with ‘The Invite’ was solely as a director. She expressed a reluctance to also act in the film, feeling more confident in her directorial abilities at this stage of her career.
“I didn’t want to star in it. I didn’t want to be in it… I just wanted to nail the direction,” Wilde stated. However, her co-stars, including Edward Norton, Seth Rogen, and Penélope Cruz, encouraged her to take on a role.
“The cast, Edward and Seth and Penelope, kept saying… ‘We think you should do it.’ I was so struck because it just hadn’t occurred to me,” she recalled. Wilde admitted to experiencing imposter syndrome regarding acting in the project, contrasting it with her confidence in directing. “I weirdly had, like, I think imposter syndrome about acting in it, but for some reason not about directing. I don’t know, I think at this point I feel like a much better director than actor.”
Thematic Depth of ‘The Invite’
Wilde described ‘The Invite’ as a film that explores the dynamics of relationships, particularly focusing on communication breakdowns, especially concerning intimacy and sex. “So essentially it’s about on the surface what seems like an unhappy couple and a happy couple colliding for one night to have a dinner party that goes kind of off the rails and leads to unforeseen conclusions for everyone,” she explained.
She added, “What it really is, is a story about relationships that tries to figure out why they work or why they’re not working, and if it potentially has something to do with how little we communicate, particularly about sex.”
The film is based on the Spanish movie ‘The People Upstairs,’ which itself was adapted from a play by the same writer-director, Cesc Gay.
Wilde’s Directorial Career
‘The Invite’ marks Wilde’s third directorial venture. Her previous projects include the critically acclaimed comedy ‘Booksmart’ (2019) and the widely discussed ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ (2022). The script for ‘The Invite’ was written by Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, and Cesc Gay.
Addressing Past Rumors
During promotional activities for ‘The Invite,’ Wilde also addressed persistent rumors surrounding her previous film, ‘Don’t Worry Darling,’ and its star, Florence Pugh. Speculation about a feud between Wilde and Pugh, reportedly stemming from Wilde’s relationship with Harry Styles during filming, circulated widely.
Wilde firmly denied claims of on-set altercations, stating, “I have never had a screaming match on my set. I was never not available on set.” She expressed regret over not addressing the speculation more directly at the time, having been advised by the studio and others to remain silent.
“I was told, ‘Don’t say a f**king word. Just go out there and smile,'” Wilde recounted, noting her dissatisfaction with that approach. “I resent that, but it taught me it’s not the way I want to handle things.” This experience has informed her approach to managing public narratives surrounding her work.
