Actress and filmmaker Olivia Wilde sharply criticized Elon Musk during a recent appearance on The Louis Theroux Podcast, saying she has come to "deeply resent" the billionaire entrepreneur and accusing him of representing a broader culture of misogyny that she believes has become increasingly influential in politics and online discourse. The remarks came as Wilde promoted her upcoming film The Invite while reflecting on themes she says have shaped her work over the past several years.
Speaking with journalist Louis Theroux, Wilde revisited an encounter with Musk that took place years ago at SpaceX's Los Angeles headquarters. Although she initially viewed the meeting positively because of Musk's interest in supporting a charitable project in Haiti, she said her opinion of him has changed dramatically as his public profile and political commentary have evolved.
Wilde recalled visiting SpaceX while working with an organization building hospitals and schools in Haiti.
"I got to go on a tour because I wanted to see the rocket ships," she said. According to Wilde, Musk "was interested in donating money to an organisation that I was a part of in Haiti that was building hospitals and schools."
She added, "he was quite interested in donating money, and, I believe he did donate a little bit of money, and that's appreciated."
Even during that early meeting, however, Wilde said she found Musk difficult to understand.
"I was kind of confused by him," she told Theroux. "I never would've predicted that he would go the path that he's gone now because he did seem really smart."
Reflecting on Musk's more recent public statements and political involvement, Wilde said her impression has fundamentally changed.
Wilde described Musk as having "turned into this creature," before adding, "I really resent him now, I really deeply resent him."
She did not point to a single event that prompted the shift. Instead, she argued that Musk's public rhetoric-including his repeated warnings about declining birth rates-reflects what she views as a broader ideology in which powerful men attempt to control social and cultural outcomes.
Those comments represent Wilde's personal opinions. Musk had not publicly responded to her remarks at the time of publication, and no response from his representatives was included in the podcast discussion.
The conversation extended beyond Musk to what Wilde characterized as the growing influence of misogynistic online communities and the so-called "manosphere." She said those themes informed both her 2022 psychological thriller Don't Worry Darling and her latest project, The Invite.
During the interview, Wilde also discussed conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, whom she has previously cited as one of the inspirations for Chris Pine's charismatic but controlling character in Don't Worry Darling.
While acknowledging she may have been "unfair" in previously describing Peterson as a "pseudo-intellectual," Wilde said she remained "disturbed by what I saw as this kind of misogynistic philosophy that was being obviously weaponised in a way that was leading us to elect Trump twice."
Peterson has previously rejected characterizations of his work as misogynistic.
Wilde connected those broader cultural concerns to one of the central themes explored in The Invite. Describing a scene involving her character and co-star Seth Rogen, she explained how the dialogue addresses expectations of entitlement within intimate relationships.
"He says, 'You're supposed to want me.' And it's very sad, and I think that people are familiar with that feeling. You're supposed to want me. You married me, and that makes me feel entitled to you being attracted to me," Wilde said.
She continued, "I mean, woah, does that veer into the manosphere incel conversation."
Wilde contrasted romantic relationships with family bonds, arguing that affection should never be treated as an obligation between partners.
"You are entitled to the love of your parents, I do believe that," she said. "However, that is a familial thing, it is not something that should exist between couples."
