On Monday night, ahead of its premiere at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, a press conference was held for Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry Darling, which featured the director as well as members of the cast. A notable absence from this presser was Florence Pugh, who stars in the film opposite Harry Styles. This absence added fuel to the ongoing rumors that there were issues between Wilde and Pugh, though the director disputed this gossip during the presser, praising the star and thanking her for attending the showing of the film despite current engagements to Dune: Part 2, which is currently in production, saying, "We are so grateful that she is able to make it tonight despite being in production on Dune. I know as a director how disruptive it is to lose an actor even for a day.”
In quotes provided by The New York Times, Wilde spoke highly of Pugh, saying that she is "a force" and that she "can’t say enough how honored I am to have her as our lead.” She specifically took aim at all the internet rumors and "endless tabloid gossip" about the two's relationship and issues, saying that "the internet feeds itself. I don’t feel the need to contribute. I think it’s sufficiently well-nourished.” The ongoing gossip surrounding Pugh and Wilde was that the two did not get along on set during the filming of Don't Worry Darling back in 2020.
Don't Worry Darling made its world premiere yesterday in Venice and received a 4-minute standing ovation from the audience in attendance. Those at the event have noted that the star and director did not interact with each other, with the pair reportedly being separate at the red carpet and sitting away from each other during the film's screening, with Pugh apparently facing away from the director during the standing ovation. This report comes courtesy of Variety. Collider's own Brian Formo wrote in his review of the film, which he gave a B-, that "Don’t Worry Darling is best as a surface-level matinée thriller with a few follow-up ahas. But it doesn’t sting like it should in the end."
Don't Worry Darling was directed by Wilde and based on a script written by Katie Silberman. Both Pugh and Styles are joined by an ensemble cast that includes Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, and Nick Kroll. In addition to being the director and writer, respectively, both Wilde and Silberman serve as producers on the film alongside Miri Yoon and Roy Lee. The film is produced by New Line Cinema and Vertigo Entertainment.
Don't Worry Darling made its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival currently being held in the titular city and is set to make its way to US theaters later this month on September 23. You can watch the trailer for the upcoming thriller as well as read its official synopsis down below.
"Alice (Pugh) and Jack (Styles) are lucky to be living in Victory, the experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. Life is perfect, with every resident’s needs met by the company. All they ask in return is unquestioning commitment to the Victory cause. But when cracks in their idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive façade, Alice can’t help questioning what they’re doing in Victory, and why. Just how much is Alice willing to lose to expose what’s really going on in paradise?"