Olivia Wilde still ‘doesn’t understand’ why relationship with Harry Styles ‘really did upset people’

By Andrea Dresdale Jun 17, 2026 | 3:00 PM

Gemma Chan, Harry Styles, Sydney Chandler and director Olivia Wilde attend the ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ red carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 5, 2022 in Venice, Italy. (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Over three years after their breakup, Harry Styles’ former girlfriend Olivia Wilde is addressing the fact that their relationship really made fans angry.

While appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast, host Alex Cooper asked the director and actress why she thought her romance with Harry was so “triggering.” “It really did upset people,” Olivia said, referring to the fact that she’s 10 years older than Harry.

“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,” she said. “I mean, I know that it has existed for a very long time in our society. I understand it had very little to do with me. It is something that we have … done … to women for a long time. Why is it? I don’t know. People were f****** pissed.”

Olivia also chalked it up to the “kind of parasocial relationship people have” with Harry, adding that it’s a “burden” that he “carries … with grace.”

She added, “It’s wild because, I mean, we had the loveliest relationship. Like so, so sweet and so beautiful and like, really, actually, very domestic and kind and lovely.” She noted that she and Harry “existed in this little bubble” where they weren’t affected by the negativity.

But, she acknowledged, “It’s almost like the happiness made them mad.” She recalled how people would criticize her for attending his shows and dancing.

Olivia and Harry started dating while he was starring in her movie Don’t Worry Darling. They split in late 2022. Harry is now allegedly engaged to Zoë Kravitz, but neither Harry nor Zoë has confirmed that.