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Tag: Olivia Wilde

  • Celebrating the Power of Film and the Best of Humanity at Park City’s Last Sundance

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    The Friend’s House Is Here was covertly filmed in the streets of Tehran amidst violent government crackdowns against citizens. Courtesy of Sundance Institute

    There is a scene about halfway through first-time writer-director Stephanie Ahn’s romantic drama Bedford Park—which premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition in last week’s Sundance Film Festival—where the lead characters are stuck in New Jersey traffic, fiddling with the radio. “Keep it here,” says reluctant passenger Eli (South Korean actor Son Suk-ku) when he hears Bill Conti’s Rocky theme Gonna Fly Now. While Eli—whose cauliflower ears speak to his high school wrestling days and whose furtive and combative manner suggests he has never stopped fighting—bobs his head and shakes his fists, Irene (a devastating Moon Choi), an on-leave physical therapist in an emotional free fall, stares ahead, saying nothing, her eyes silently filling with tears.

    Sitting in a Press & Industry screening at the Holiday Village Theaters in Park City, so did mine. Of course, it had much to do with the authenticity and masterfully observational patience of Ahn’s film. But the film served as a powerful metaphor for the festival itself, which was also uniting a bunch of broken people around their shared and largely nostalgic love of movies. A dense cloud of wistfulness threatened to overtake the festival every time audiences watched Robert Redford, its late founder and spiritual guide, reflect on the power of storytelling in gauzy footage projected onscreen.

    While Bedford Park was my favorite film I saw at the festival, it didn’t pick up one of the big awards. (Beth de Araújo’s Channing Tatum–starring drama about an 8-year-old crime witness Josephine swept both the Jury and Audience awards, while Bedford Park received a Special Jury Award for Debut Feature.)

    What Ahn’s film brought home instead was something even more valuable: a distribution deal. Sony Pictures Classics—whose co-presidents and founders Michael Barker and Tom Bernard were battling for good movies and ethical distribution against the indie movie dark lord Harvey Weinstein back in Sundance’s buy-happy ’90s heyday—made the film its second acquisition of the festival behind director Josef Kubota Wladyka’s crowd-pleasing Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! It was an anachronistically bullish stand by the 34-year-old specialty arm in what has been a largely bearish acquisition market.

    The relatively quiet marketplace, Redford’s passing and the immutability of 2026 being the end of the festival’s Utah run (Main Street’s iconic Egyptian Theater being unavailable for festival programming felt like a don’t-let-the-door-hit-you statement from both city and state) combined to give this outing a bit of a Dance of Death feeling. Respite from this sense of gloom came from the most unlikely of places: documentaries on seemingly depressing topics.

    A man with a close-cropped haircut holds two telephone receivers to his ears, smiling slightly while seated on a patterned couch.A man with a close-cropped haircut holds two telephone receivers to his ears, smiling slightly while seated on a patterned couch.
    Joybubbles in his living room. Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

    Joybubbles, the effervescent directorial debut from longtime archival producer Rachael J. Morrison, tells the story of Joe Engrassia, a man who copes with his blindness and the cruelty he experiences as a result of his visual impairment through his relationship with that great relic of the 20th Century: the telephone. As a child, he found comfort in its steady tone when his parents fought; as a young man, he learned to manipulate its system to make calls across the world with his pitch-perfect whistling; as an adult, he entertains strangers through a prerecorded “fun line,” telling jokes and stories from his life. In one scene, Morrison captures a caller recollecting taking Joe—who late in life legally changed his name to Joybubbles to reflect his commitment to living life as a child—to Penny Marshall’s 1988 movie Big, and describing it to him in the back of the theater; the moment moved me as deeply as the Rocky interlude from Bedford Park.

    The setup of Sam Green’s The Oldest Person in the World seems high concept: a globe-spanning chronicle of the various holders of that dubious Guinness World Record title over the course of a decade. But in the hands of Green, a Sundance vet who has premiered a dozen films at the festival dating back to 1997, what would be rote instead blossoms into a consistently surprising, deeply personal and strangely exhilarating exploration of what it means to be alive.

    A glossy, cartoonish glass pitcher with a smiling face sits onstage under bright colored lights, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers at a tech conference.A glossy, cartoonish glass pitcher with a smiling face sits onstage under bright colored lights, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers at a tech conference.
    Ghost in the Machine delivers a thought-provoking takedown of Techno-Fascism. Courtesy of Sundance Institute

    Ghost in the Machine, Valerie Vatach’s exploration of the eugenicist roots and colonial and anti-environmental reality of the A.I. arms race, had the exact opposite effect. It tells the tale of a society that has lost its moral and humanitarian bearing at the behest of techno-oligarchs, amalgamating our own labor to keep us divided. The film’s denouement—showing ways we as a society can still fight back—was the only unconvincing part of Vatach’s film essay.

    Meanwhile, the miles-deep societal pessimism of Ghost in the Machine was being tragically echoed by real events. Indeed, the most shocking and vital clip of the weekend was the footage of the Minneapolis murder of protester and ICU nurse Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents that festivalgoers watched on their phones in stunned silence while waiting in lines. A day earlier, U.S. Congressman Max Frost was physically assaulted at the festival in an attack that was both politically and racially motivated.

    It all made for a tense mood for one of the more anxious events of the festival: that Sunday’s premiere of Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie, from Alex Gibney, another longtime Sundance veteran. Culled from footage shot by Rachel Eliza Griffiths (Rushdie’s wife) of the novelist’s recovery from the 2022 attack on his life and adapted from his memoir of that event, the film was most effective when Gibney recounted the since-rescinded 1989 fatwa against Rushdie, an example of, as the author told the theater audience, “how violence unleashed by an irresponsible leader can spread out of control.” (Security measures for the event included a full pat-down, metal detectors, and bomb-sniffing dogs.)

    As trenchant as it felt in that moment, Knife was also an example of a documentary where the subject may have been a bit too in control of the final product; in addition to providing the footage, Griffiths served as executive producer and Gibney was her and Rushdie’s handpicked director.

    American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, which premiered in the U.S. Documentary Competition and took home the Audience Award, also drifted toward hagiography. But in telling the story of Valdez, the Chicano arts trailblazer who founded El Teatro Campesino to inform and entertain newly unionized farmworkers, the film powerfully demonstrates how politically and socially engaged arts serve both as a morale booster and a clarion call in the fight against oppression.

    Nowhere was this idea better expressed than in my second favorite fiction film in the festival: The Friend’s House Is Here. Directed by the New York–based husband and wife team of Hossein Keshavarz and Maryam Ataei and covertly filmed in the streets of Tehran amidst violent government crackdowns against citizens, House is at its heart a joyful “hangout” movie about two close but very different friends pushing the limits of their creative expression in current-day Iran. The film—whose cast includes Iranian Instagram star Hana Mana, theater actor Mahshad Bahraminejad, and a troupe of actors from a local improvisational theater company—rightfully took home the Special Jury Award for its ensemble cast.

    A young girl and a man recline in sunlit beach chairs beside dry grass and driftwood, both with their eyes closed in quiet rest.A young girl and a man recline in sunlit beach chairs beside dry grass and driftwood, both with their eyes closed in quiet rest.
    Maria Petrova in Myrsini Aristidou’s Hold Onto Me. Courtesy of Sundance Institute

    Aside from The Friend’s House Is Here crew, the best performances in Sundance films were given by children. This includes Maria Petrova as a dour 11-year-old beach rat reconnecting with her estranged conman father in Myrsini Aristidou’s Hold Onto Me, which won the World Cinema-Dramatic Audience Award. Mason Reeves’ complex and nervy turn as an 8-year-old who witnesses a rape in Golden Gate Park during an early morning run with her fitness-obsessed dad (Channing Tatum) is by far the best thing about Josephine, writer-director Beth de Araújo’s multiple award winner; the film’s narrative and emotional force are deeply undercut by the abject cluelessness shown by the child’s parents, played by Channing Tatum and Eternals stunner Gemma Chan.

    Not all of the films at this year’s festival were engaged with our fraught political moment. Longtime Sundance mainstay Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex (the programmers’ fixation on inviting old hands felt like a combination of sentimentality and branding) was born of the kind of sassy, candy-colored provocations the director helped pioneer in the 90s in its telling of Cooper Hoffman’s art intern embarking on a Dom/Sub relationship with his boss, played with preening relish by Olivia Wilde.

    A man on the left and a woman on the right gaze into each other's eyesA man on the left and a woman on the right gaze into each other's eyes
    Cooper Hoffman and Olivia Wilde in Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Lacey Terrell

    Along with her Sex costar Charli XCX, whose premiere of her mockumentary The Moment created the closest thing the 2026 fest had to a media scrum, Wilde became the celebrity face of the festival. The bidding war to acquire The Invite—the middle-age sex comedy she directed and stars in alongside Seth Rogen, Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz—was eventually won by A24 and provided one of the few pieces of red meat that kept the trade reporters engaged.

    Otherwise, the festival overall seemed much more focused on its past than its present or even its future. (That said, Colorado Governor Jared Polis showing up to premieres in his trademark cowboy hat—in anticipation of Sundance’s move next year to Boulder—did feel like the ultimate Rocky Mountain flex.)

    In addition to its reliance on programming new films by filmmakers who had movies in previous festivals, this year’s festival also featured special screenings of films from its illustrious past, among them Barbara Kopple’s American Dream, Lynn Shelton’s Humpday, and James Wan’s Saw. Still, the festival’s most potent dose of uncut nostalgia was Tamra DavisThe Best Summer. A stitched-together chronicle of a 1994 Australian indie rock festival that featured the Beastie Boys, Bikini Kill, Pavement, Foo Fighters and Sonic Youth, Davis’ film felt like the ultimate in Gen X hipster home movies.

    But did all of this chronic looking backwards sap the festival of its vitality? Maybe a little. But despite the sentimentality that covered Park City more heartily than the snow, films like The Friend’s House Is Here reminded us how remarkable good films can be at discovering and celebrating humanity, even as Ghost in the Machine showed us that the moment to do something about it may have passed.

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    Celebrating the Power of Film and the Best of Humanity at Park City’s Last Sundance

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  • Olivia Wilde’s New Movie With Seth Rogen & More Lands at A24

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    A24 has bagged the distribution rights to Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen‘s new film, The Invite. The company secured the rights after a tense bidding battle with rivals. A remake of Cesc Gay’s 2020 Spanish feature, The People Upstairs, the film recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It also garnered positive reviews from critics. Apart from Wilde and Rogen, the movie stars Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz.

    A24 wins Sundance bidding war over Olivia Wilde’s The Invite

    Following a lengthy bidding battle, where the production company found itself locked in a three-way competition with Focus Features and Warner Bros. Pictures’ new contemporary film label, A24 secured the rights to Olivia Wilde’s The Invite for reportedly over $10-12 million.

    Apart from A24, Focus Features, and WB’s new label, Netflix, Neon, Apple, Searchlight, Black Bear, and Sony participated in the auction.

    The Invite marks Wilde’s third feature directorial effort, following 2019’s Booksmart and 2022’s Don’t Worry Darling. It is also her second collaboration with Annapurna Pictures and Megan Ellison, who previously produced Booksmart. Meanwhile, Parks and Recreation star Rashida Jones and Celeste and Jesse Forever scribe Will McCormack wrote the film’s screenplay. Wilde reportedly wants a theatrical release for the film.

    The story follows a couple, Joe and Angela (Seth Rogen and Wilde), who are facing marital problems. Their life takes an unexpected and twisted turn after a dinner with their neighbors, another couple named Hawk and Pina (Norton and Cruz).

    As of writing, on Rotten Tomatoes, the film, reportedly dedicated to the late Diane Keaton, holds an impressive fresh score of 90%.

    The film has received positive reviews from critics. Variety‘s Owen Gleiberman called the film “marvelously entertaining.” He said it “[lived up to expectations]” in a manner that’s “so original, so brimming with surprise, so fresh and up-to-the-minute in its perceptions of how relationships work (or don’t), that you watch it in a state of rapt immersion and delight.”

    Meanwhile, Nick Schager of The Daily Beast called the film “A hysterical, insightful, and ultimately moving portrait of the difficulties of keeping long-term relationships alive.”

    Further, The Hollywood Reporter‘s David Rooney shared, “After the disproportionate bashing Wilde took on Don’t Worry Darling, her new movie should silence the doubters. At this point, it’s hard to deny she’s the real deal as a director.”

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    Abdul Azim Naushad

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  • The Invite Is Occasionally Funny, But That’s About It

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    Photo: The Invite/All photos are copyrighted and may be used by press only for the purpose of news or editorial coverage of Sundance Institute programs. Photos must be accompanied by a credit to the photographer and/or ‘Courtesy of Sundance Institute.’ Unauthorized use, alteration, reproduction or sale of logos and/or photos is strictly prohibited.

    It makes perfect sense that, as a director, Olivia Wilde would want to follow the extravagant, ambitious disaster of Don’t Worry Darling with a four-character chamber piece confined to one location. The Invite, based on the Spanish director Cesc Gay’s 2020 movie The People Upstairs (which was itself based on an earlier play by Gay), features an unhappy couple inviting their upstairs neighbors for a dinner party that quickly goes to some strange places; it’s the kind of supposedly focused character study that probably felt nourishing after all the off-camera craziness of Wilde’s previous directorial outing.

    We can sense the theatrical origins of the story right from the start, with downcast music teacher Joe (Seth Rogen) arriving home one evening only to find that his fussy, anxious wife Angela (Wilde) is in the middle of preparing for a dinner party for their upstairs neighbors. Joe is not only unprepared for this, he doesn’t even like these neighbors, who weird them out and keep them up at all hours having extremely loud sex. Joe and Angela’s incessant bickering early on — every observation prompting an objection or a counter-observation — telegraphs that their neighbors will probably turn out to be a lot better adjusted than they are. Sure enough, when Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pina (Penelope Cruz) arrive, they seem both relaxed and all-knowing: They confess that they heard Joe and Angela arguing loudly before they even rang the doorbell. He’s a retired firefighter, she’s a sexologist, and suddenly the upstairs neighbors have the upper hand, psychologically speaking.

    The Invite is primarily a comedy, and it does have some solid laughs, though the character interactions can also feel so manufactured that our bullshit detectors start going off fairly early. Angela, we’re told, is hypervigilant and neurotic — their daughter is at a sleepover and Angela tells Joe she called beforehand to ensure that there will be no men or weapons present in the friend’s house — and she’s apparently also on top of current mores and attitudes from days spent listening to podcasts. Funny, sure, but somehow, Angela also manages to organize an entire meal based on meat and cheese without ever checking to make sure her neighbors can eat such things. (It turns out, of course, that Pina can’t.) This is minor stuff, meant to add to an accumulation of interpersonal awkwardness, but such inconsistencies add up and deflate the characters’ believability. If in something like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf the characters’ inadequacies and resentments fuel their increasingly erratic behavior, here these people feel like grab bags of punchlines, their actions there primarily to get laughs.

    More worryingly, the film’s stylized, theatrical dialogue only really works onscreen if there’s a musicality to the words and a rhythm to the back and forth. Wilde manages to undermine that through aggressive, insistent music cues that flatten everything out — almost as if she doesn’t trust the script, credited to Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, to do the trick. Still, these are good actors, and each brings their unique style. As a comic performer, Wilde (who also gives a tremendous performance in another Sundance movie this year, Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex) excels at going big — precise in her timing, unafraid to exaggerate for comic effect — while Rogen deploys his usual goofy, improv-style cadences — stumbling over words, anxiously repeating himself, swallowing punchlines.

    When Norton and Cruz show up, they bring their own vibes: He’s soft-spoken and even keeled, she’s a bit of a flower child. This is all intentional, surely. You don’t go with a cast like this if you don’t want these actors to do their own individual things. And it does pay off, occasionally: Entering the apartment, Hawk and Pina talk a lot about the décor and the energy in the room, and Joe responds, snarkily, “We talked a lot about capturing energy, as if it’s a thing we could actually do.” But it takes seriously sharp writing and directorial control to make all these people feel like they exist in the same movie, and the truth is that the performances don’t really cohere.

    Wilde leans into the comedy as much as possible, often framing shots for maximum visual humor. At its best, The Invite uses the spaces of this apartment well, putting dead air between its alienated characters and bringing them physically closer over the course of the film. But even here, the tonal whipsawing can backfire. As I noted earlier, The Invite goes to some odd places, but with each new turn in these relationships, the picture loses steam, perhaps because they’ve never come across as real people and these emotional twists don’t feel fully earned. Meanwhile, the shticky humor of the first hour makes for a disappointing mismatch with the awkward earnestness of the finale, as the characters all get their sentimental, tedious monologues, now complete with soft music on the soundtrack. (The movie is, frankly, a clinic in how not to use a score.)

    Wilde’s directorial debut Booksmart, released in 2019 to great acclaim, worked in large part because she brought so much inventiveness to a familiar and chaotic coming-of-age tale, using technique to overcome the story’s tonal challenges. Don’t Worry Darling, by contrast, felt too stilted and controlled, too programmed and predictable, almost as if the director felt obligated to rein in her stylistic impulses against a supposedly more complicated story. The Invite feels at times like a film that could have benefited from more control. It’s too baggy to really work as a chamber piece. (It’s not a particularly long movie, but it drags considerably after a while.) But it also doesn’t really give Wilde any real opportunities to cut loose and demonstrate her strengths as a director, which once seemed so considerable.


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    Bilge Ebiri

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  • Dildos, Ball Gags and Threesomes: Kinky Olivia Wilde Thriller ‘I Want Your Sex’ Heats Up Sundance

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    I Want Your Sex,” an erotic thriller starring Olivia Wilde as a sexually assured artist who embarks on a sadomasochistic relationship with her gallery assistant, got Sundance’s pulse racing on Friday night. Cooper Hoffman plays Elliot, the sub to Wilde’s dom in Gregg Araki’s latest piece of boundary-pushing provocation, one that Sundance programming director Kim Yutani dubbed a “return to form” for the filmmaker in her introductory remarks.

    Both stars go for it — baring all in a relationship that is kinky, but also tender at times. Not in a conventional way, of course. Wilde’s character, Erika Tracy, opens a sexual Pandora’s box for Hoffman, one that comes with ball gags, stilettos, whips, chains, and a cornucopia of dildos and strap-ons. There’s even a disastrous threesome that goes comically off the rails.

    When Araki heard that Wilde was interested in playing Erika, he made it clear what would be required.

    “We had a meeting, and I just said, ‘you know, to do this part, you gotta just not give a fuck, and just want to just fucking take the plunge,’” Araki recalled during a post-screening Q&A. “‘Because I don’t want to compromise it. I don’t want to water it down.’ And she said, ‘Let’s go.’”

    Wilde said she never looked back after signing up to play the role of an artist whose swagger masks her dwindling self-confidence.

    “I was just so excited by Gregg’s enthusiasm for the medium, for the process,” Wilde said. “I wish more people made movies like [Gregg]. You just said, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s get cool people together who want to tell a story, and let’s just do it. And it doesn’t have to be a whole thing, and it doesn’t have to feel like this corporate project. It has to just come from the heart.’ And I wanted to be a part of something like that.”

    Hoffman, who turned heads in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza,” wasn’t sure he was right for the part of a bumbling boy toy. Araki was drawn to Hoffman because he reminded him of Dustin Hoffman in “The Graduate” and thought he could bring the same nebbish intensity to the part.

    “I honestly didn’t think I’d get cast,” Hoffman admitted. “I just threw my hat in the ring and kept getting closer and closer. And then they said I got the job. And I was like, ‘Ah, shit. I gotta go do this.’ And I’m very happy I did.”

    On the red carpet prior to the premiere, Wilde told Variety that Gen Z wants to see less sex in movies and TV because they “don’t want to see inauthenticity anymore.”

    “The way that sex has been portrayed in film for a long time hasn’t been particularly realistic,” Wilde said.

    That may not be a critique that’s leveled at Araki and company. The nudity and S&M mean “I Want Your Sex” will push the R-rating to the breaking point, but it was the film’s heart that the cast kept emphasizing on stage.

    “Ultimately, the sex feels secondary,” Chase Sui Wonders, who plays Hoffman’s best friend and roommate, said. “It’s a story about being obsessed with someone…It’s just a tragic love story.”

    Mason Gooding, Daveed Diggs and Charli xcx round out the ensemble. Black Bear produced the film, which is looking for distribution. The packed auditorium included executives from indie labels like Magnolia, Roadside and Mubi, and the room was so crowded that Patrick Schwarzenegger was spotted walking up and down the aisle looking for an empty seat.

    “I Want Your Sex” is Araki’s eleventh feature at Sundance, with the director having previously debuted the likes of “Mysterious Skin” and “The Doom Generation” at the mountain festival. Before the film screened, Araki praised Sundance founder Robert Redford, who died last year at the age of 89.

    “There’s been nobody in the history of fucking Hollywood movies who says, ‘I want to use my fucking incredible star power and all my fucking clout to create this place in the world for those fucking weird filmmakers, those outsider filmmakers, those different voices,” Araki said. “It’s all about DEI.”

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    Varietybrentlang

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  • AP Breakthrough Entertainer: Chase Sui Wonders’ Harvard astrophysics detour led her to Hollywood

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    NEW YORK (AP) — You don’t need to major in astrophysics at Harvard to become an actor — but it doesn’t necessarily hurt, either.

    “I thought that’s what you go there to do. It’s like why are you paying all this money to go to this fancy school if you’re not going to study a hard science to try to save the world? … But I was quickly humbled,” chuckled Chase Sui Wonders, who began failing classes within her first few weeks. Her college application essay had been about making movies, so she decided she “might as well just pivot back to what I know best.”

    That calculated redirection paid off for the magna cum laude graduate who’s now a standout cast member of the Emmy-winning comedy “The Studio,” a cynical and satirical take on the film industry.

    Chase Sui Wonders always thought she was “kind of funny,” but it was confirmed when she booked “The Studio” after just one audition. It’s been an eventful year for the AP Breakthrough Entertainer who plays the ambitious assistant-turned-creative executive Quinn Hackett on the Emmy-winning comedy. (Dec. 10)

    Wonders, who also starred in the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” reboot earlier this year, is one of The Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of 2025.

    “The attention’s definitely weird, but can feel good,” said the 29-year-old, flashing her warm smile throughout the interview. “The most energizing thing about the whole thing is when you get recognition, the phone starts ringing more, and these other avenues are opening up that I always kind of dreamed about.”

    “The Studio” amassed an astounding 23 Emmy nominations in its debut season, taking home a record-breaking 13 wins. But Wonders may not have seemed like an obvious choice for comedy with her past roles, including the 2022 film “Bodies Bodies Bodies” and her breakout role, the teen-themed series “Genera+ion,” which was canceled by HBO Max after one season. But all it took was one virtual video audition to land the role of Quinn Hackett, the hyper-ambitious, cutthroat assistant-turned-creative executive under studio head Matt Remick, played by the show’s co-creator and co-executive producer Seth Rogen.

    “I had always … felt like, ‘I think I’m kind of funny,’” she laughed, acknowledging feeling she had to prove herself working alongside comedic heavyweights like Rogen, Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn and Ike Barinholtz. “That pressure felt really daunting and scary. But I think, hopefully, I rose to the occasion.”

    Despite mere degrees of separation from Hollywood as the niece of fashion designer Anna Sui, an acting career seemed unattainable growing up in Bloomfield Township, a Detroit suburb. Born to a father of Chinese descent and a white mother, Wonders and her siblings were primarily raised by their mom after their parents divorced.

    GET TO KNOW CHASE SUI WONDERS

    AGE: 29

    HOMETOWN: Detroit suburbs

    FIRST ROLE: Technically, 2009’s “A Trivial Exclusion,” a feature-length film made with her family. Otherwise, let’s go with the 2019 horror film “Daniel Isn’t Real.”

    YOU MIGHT KNOW HER FROM: “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” “Genera+ion” and her character’s climactic love of quesaritos in “The Studio”

    2025 IN REVIEW: The “I Know What You Did Last Summer” reboot and “The Studio”

    WHAT’S NEXT: The films “I Want Your Sex” and “October,” as well as a “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot series

    HER HARVARD MAJOR: Film studies and production. In the end, she did graduate magna cum laude.

    Want to know more about Chase and our other Breakthrough Entertainers of 2025? Read our survey.

    An extremely shy child and self-described tomboy, she developed a love for sports — she won high school state championships in both ice hockey and golf — and spent much of her childhood making videos with her siblings. Thanks to her mother encouraging her to take performance arts classes, she was able to break out of her shell. But coming from an achievement-driven family, all signs pointed to a career in business.

    A corporate track nearly began after struggling to break into the industry, and she even considered taking a job in Beijing to begin her adult life in the business world. But with only a week to decide on the job offer, she decided to give Hollywood one more shot. Three months later, she booked “Genera+ion.”

    “There have been different moments in my life where I’ve been seriously humbled,” said Wonders, who has aspirations of directing. “It just has taught me just not to take it all too seriously. … I do feel absurdly lucky that I get to be on set with all my friends and telling a bunch of jokes and being a weirdo on screen.”

    Next up for Wonders is the Gregg Araki-directed “I Want Your Sex,” starring Olivia Wilde, and she’ll star in A24’s horror thriller “October.” She’ll also appear in the upcoming “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot, with Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao directing the pilot. And of course, a second season for “The Studio” is in the works.

    Gary Gerard Hamilton’s previous Breakthrough Entertainer profiles include Megan Thee Stallion, Sadie Sink, Simu Liu, Tobe Nwigwe and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. His own media breakthrough came in third grade, after recording a PSA about endangered animals for a Houston TV station.

    Red carpets and magazine covers couldn’t be a more antithetical life for the girl who assumed she’d climb the executive ranks at one of the major car companies headquartered in Detroit. Instead, she’s climbing the Hollywood ladder — and she wouldn’t tell her younger self to speed up the process.

    “It’s so fun how life surprises you,” said Wonders. “I wouldn’t tell her anything. I would tell her it’s all going to make sense in the rearview mirror — but no spoilers.”

    ___

    For more on AP’s 2025 class of Breakthrough Entertainers, visit https://apnews.com/hub/ap-breakthrough-entertainers.

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  • From Taylor Swift to Laura Harrier, the Under-$150 Buys Celebs Are All Wearing

    From Taylor Swift to Laura Harrier, the Under-$150 Buys Celebs Are All Wearing

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    When celebrities choose to wear an affordable item, we tend to take notice. Seeing as Hollywood has access to the very best in everything (the best facialists, manicurists, and of course, stylists), it should come as no surprise that the wardrobe’s of the A-list would be equally as exclusive. And for the most part, they are. Celebs make headlines for wearing the latest designer It bag and those designers also clamor to have famous faces wear their collections. In other words, most celebs have their pick of luxury labels, but they love an affordable fashion find just like us because, well, sometimes the cheaper option really is the best.

    Recently we’ve noticed some of the best-dressed stars in wallet-friendly pieces, so we figured it was worth sharing. From the $10 tights Taylor Swift wore all over NYC to the sneakers Jennifer Lawrence just stepped out in that could be the next It pair, these are the under-$150 items celebrities are prioritizing right now. 

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    Anna LaPlaca

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  • Olivia Wilde’s Jeans Are Under $200 and Surprisingly Still in Stock

    Olivia Wilde’s Jeans Are Under $200 and Surprisingly Still in Stock

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    I hate to sound like a broken record, but skinny jeans are waning in popularity right now. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wearing them—in fact, they’re still royalty approved—but if you want to know which denim styles people are trying instead, you’ve come to the right place. Photographed at a farmers market in Los Angeles, Olivia Wilde wore full-length, wide-leg jeans, which are hugely popular right now. 

    Specifically, Wilde wore two pieces from La Ligne: the Toujours Sweater ($395) and the Isadora Jeans ($195). She finished off the look with Ganni’s Wool Blend Logo Beanie ($95) and Ray-Ban’s Wayfarer Reverse Sunglasses ($193). The result? A chill yet chic outfit for running errands on the weekends. Scroll down to see Olivia Wilde’s new outfit for yourself. 

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    Erin Fitzpatrick

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  • Olivia Wilde Just Made Hot Pants Look Shockingly Wearable

    Olivia Wilde Just Made Hot Pants Look Shockingly Wearable

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    New York Fashion Week is always accompanied by one too many over-the-top outfits (at least for my taste). Sure, it’s a great opportunity to experiment in the dressing room, making pairings that you’d normally consider to be too out-there for just any day at the office. But at times, the looks go too far. Then, there are the masters, the people who can style those risqué pieces just right and make their outfits feel both fitting for the occasion and not in need of any editing down. 

    One such mastermind is Olivia Wilde (and her stylist Karla Welch), who arrived at the Michael Kors Collection S/S 24 show in Brooklyn this week wearing 2023’s most daring trend: hot pants. Minuscule in size but huge in impact, the teeny-tiny shorts that have been popping up all year are shockingly difficult to style in a low-key, approachable manner. Yet that’s exactly how I’d describe Wilde’s look, which included the brown suede shorts, a matching cashmere sweater, sheer tights, and a floor-length coat, all of which were designed by the man of the hour, Michael Kors. She also added her signature Ray-Ban Wayfarers, of course, and knee-high suede boots from Stuart Weitzman. Just like that, Wilde cracked the code for styling hot pants for fall. Add a maxi coat, tights, and boots, and voilà—a completely wearable way to style bottoms that are only an inch away from being underwear

    Scroll down to see Wilde’s look for the Michael Kors Collection show.

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    Eliza Huber

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  • Olivia Wilde Fuses Summer With Fall in Hot Pants and Knee-High Boots at NYFW

    Olivia Wilde Fuses Summer With Fall in Hot Pants and Knee-High Boots at NYFW

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    Olivia Wilde was living the best of both worlds in a weather-defying ensemble at New York Fashion Week on Sept. 11. As summer style begins to mingle with fall fashion, with some celebrities still wearing bikinis and others experimenting with non-traditional fashion trends, Wilde is taking a firm stance at the center of the sartorial debate. Surrounded by fellow stars, Wilde arrived in a Michael Kors trench coat, a ribbed sweater, sheer tights, and a pair of hot pants that created the illusion of a bodysuit. She styled the outfit with knee-high suede boots, a fringe handbag, and gold Oera earrings.

    The focal point of the outfit, styled by Karla Welch, was the pair of teeny-tiny hot pants that blended seamlessly with Wilde’s sweater. From afar, Wilde easily looked like she was serving her take on the no-pants trend. Though she wasn’t completely pantsless, the star’s micro shorts, sheer tights, and black sunglasses felt like a not-so-subtle nod to summer.

    The rest of her outfit, meanwhile, was a clear homage to the impending fall weather. Wilde’s ribbed sweater provided a layer of comfort many of us crave when the temperature drops; the ruching on her hot-cocoa-brown boots added an effortlessly cozy energy to the ensemble; and her herringbone trench coat created a wind-swept drama that practically summoned a whirl of fallen leaves to dance at her feet. Though New York recently experienced its second act of summer in the form of a heat wave, followed by a series of thunderstorms, it’s clear Wilde isn’t letting the unpredictable climate deter her from wearing whatever she wants.

    Ahead, see Wilde’s illusion outfit from all angles, and see more of the best-dressed celebrities at NYFW here.

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    Chanel Vargas

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  • Olivia Wilde Just Re-Created Lorelai Gilmore’s Most Iconic Outfit

    Olivia Wilde Just Re-Created Lorelai Gilmore’s Most Iconic Outfit

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    I don’t know about you, but I’m currently on the “why did you drop out of Yale?” side of TikTok. IYKYK. Every Gilmore Girls fan knows that watching reruns is the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of fall. Nobody nails sweater weather quite like Rory, after all. So it’s no surprise that I immediately thought of Lorelai Gilmore when I saw Olivia Wilde’s cute new outfit.

    Wearing a T-shirt, extra-short shorts, and cowboy boots, Wilde’s outfit reminded me of what Lorelai wore in the pilot episode of Gilmore Girls. You know the one: when she’s late to drop off Rory at Chilton and insists that she doesn’t have anything else to wear because it’s laundry day. And then she proceeds to embarrass both Rory and Emily by walking the prestigious school’s hallways in Daisy Duke shorts. As long as you’re not rolling up to Chilton with your daughter, this outfit is actually on-trend and worth copying. Scroll down to see Olivia Wilde in the iconic Lorelai Gilmore outfit. 

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    Erin Fitzpatrick

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  • Olivia Wilde Wore the Easy Anti-Trend Outfit I Wear Repeatedly Every Summer

    Olivia Wilde Wore the Easy Anti-Trend Outfit I Wear Repeatedly Every Summer

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    Certain outfits could never and will never fail you, which, in the summer, says a lot given how temperamental the the weather can be. Think slip dress and flat slides, a tank and jean shorts, or a billowy button-down and linen trousers. If you’re flustered in front of your wardrobe during the warmer months, opting for one of the above will never lead to regret. For me, though, the one outfit I’ll always grab for when in doubt is a white graphic tee, white jeans, and a casual pair of sneakers. 

    And apparently, I’m not the only one who’s in on this effortless ensemble. This week, Olivia Wilde got the same idea, styling a Mother Denim graphic tee with the line “Don’t be a clam, open up” on the front with wide-leg white jeans and one of her go-to pairs of Gucci x Adidas sneakers. With the look, she added a tote bag and the Ray-Ban Wayfarers she’s been donning all season long. Below, find everything you need to replicate her low-key outfit on repeat from now until August (and beyond). 

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    Eliza Huber

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  • Olivia Wilde’s Baywatch Swimsuit Is Destined for Sellout Status

    Olivia Wilde’s Baywatch Swimsuit Is Destined for Sellout Status

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    The difference between classic and iconic? It’s all about who wears the look. Case in point, the red one-piece swimsuits worn by the stars of Baywatch, the ’90s TV show featuring Pamela Anderson as a lifeguard patrolling the beaches of Los Angeles County. And, while Anderson certainly popularized the look, the truth is that lifeguards have been wearing red one-piece suits for ages. Then, perhaps this suit is both classic and iconic.

    Olivia Wilde seems to think so. The A-lister shared a photo of herself hanging poolside wearing the Pamela Anderson-approved cheeky swimsuit by Frankie’s Bikinis paired with cut-off denim shorts, extreme cat eye sunglasses, and hopefully plenty of SPF. How’s that for a red white and blue Independence Day look?  

    Whether you’re looking to swim laps, catch some rays, or even literally save lives (thank you, summer lifeguards), the classic red swimsuit will always be instantly recognizable as a summer staple. Ahead, shop 9 red swimsuits under $100 to wear this summer; the Baywatch vibes will soon follow. 

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    Drew Elovitz

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  • 7 Controversial Airport Outfits Celebs Manage to Pull Off Flawlessly

    7 Controversial Airport Outfits Celebs Manage to Pull Off Flawlessly

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    Celebrities, they’re just like us. Except when they’re not at all. When jetting to and from their red carpet appearances, traveling to film on location, or simply heading on their own vacations, the Hollywood crowd plays by a set of rules all their own, at least when it comes to what they wear to the airport. You’d think that some of the most well-traveled A-listers would have their travel style down pat, but the styling choices we’re about to dive into here say otherwise.

    Yep, today we’re discussing all the daring, controversial, and downright risky fashion choices celebs have been making while heading to the airport, from boldly wearing an all-white ensemble to stepping out in tall stilettos and even donning heavy-duty leather pieces. There’s no question that the seven looks below are anything short of flawless, but I’ll be the first one to say it: the idea of recreating them for myself makes me, well, squeamish. And sure, if you’re a celeb catching a flight you’re probably not roughing it like the rest of us in the main security checkpoint or even heading to a major airport if you fly private, but nonetheless these outfit choices are puzzling ones for any kind of air travel.

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    Anna LaPlaca

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  • Panic! At the Barre Studio: Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde Almost See Each Other at the Gym, and Then Don’t

    Panic! At the Barre Studio: Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde Almost See Each Other at the Gym, and Then Don’t

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    What’s long, lean, and had a very public breakup? Please welcome to the stage, your friends and mine, Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde

    It is with a deep sigh that we report that the exes were both spotted at celebrity fitness guru Tracy Anderson’s Studio City fitness studio Wednesday. Sounds juicy, right? Fresh squeezed? Some pulp? Probably $12, minimum. Some quality juice, right?

    Nah. Styles and Wilde haven’t been together together since their breakup in November after nearly two years as a couple, and they weren’t physically together yesterday, either. Don’t worry, darling—Styles arrived at the studio about half an hour after Wilde left. May the only sweat that drops over this news be due to cardiovascular effort, not our fascination with the duo’s saga. 

    Anderson’s workout, which emphasizes high-rep, low-weight movements to tone “accessory muscles,” feels like an apt comparison for the Styles-Wilde split, actually. First of all, we’re obsessed with both of them. Gwyneth Paltrow is business partner to Anderson, and other celebs, like Lena DunhamJennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham, Miss Piggy, and many, many more, have pledged allegiance to Anderson’s micro movements. Thanks to studios on both coasts, plus a series of at-home DVD and streaming workouts, normies can get in on the method as well. Likewise, here we are, breathlessly following the romantic travails (or not) of Wilde and Styles.

    In fact, we’re following it so closely and often, that you might even say that it’s, well…high-rep and low-weight. That there are actual headlines about them having what I wouldn’t even consider to be a near-miss, not even being in the same place at the same time? It’s barre class’ “up an inch, down an inch,” a burn that builds over time and you don’t realize is wearing on you until you go to sit down later in the day and surprise yourself by making that involuntary grunt-squeal noise of effort on your way down. 

    They haven’t been together for so long! It’s been months! Remember how long ago the whole salad dressing thing was? That was shortly before they split up, it’s been so long. Heck, Styles was recently spotted smooching Emily Ratajkowski. He’s moved on. The fact that he, a celebrity, and his ex, also a celebrity, happened to work out at the same place, on the same day, not even at the same time, is less dramatic than the time I saw my neighbor in the freezer aisle at Trader Joe’s in the next town over (when you need mini peanut butter cups, you need mini peanut butter cups). What are the odds? We’ve gotten so used to this constant speculation and will-they-won’t-they exposure (they won’t) that it feels normal until we take a beat to realize, oop, the news of their split was like five months ago, and they seem to be largely chill with one another, if Wilde rocking out at Styles’ concerts the same week as the break was announced is anything to go by. 

    Boutique fitness has never met a euphemistic term it doesn’t love, and there are roughly 47 different ways to refer to your butt during a group workout class. I’ve heard “seat,” “glutes,” “rear,” even “ledge” (that one is for what I’d like to think of as your thutt, where your thigh meets your butt). I’ve had barre instructors coach me to “let my seat muscle float just an inch off the ground,” as if my butt has taken on a life of its own and has decided to take its leave of me to achieve its true potential. The one word for butt that I haven’t heard in class is the word, well, butt. 

    The gossip world has been, traditionally, less prone to elision. Though that’s not to say it hasn’t had a place here and there. Certainly that was the case with Wednesday’s non-news cycle. Now, we’re straining those glutes to the max, floating that seat up, up, and away, chronicling “near-misses” and “different priorities” to avoid just flat-out saying what we really know about Harry and Olivia. 

    Let’s just call it a butt, folks: Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde, separately, exercised on Wednesday. The end. 

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    Kase Wickman

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  • Every Celeb’s Go-To Sunnies Are Currently On Sale At Nordstrom (You’re Welcome)

    Every Celeb’s Go-To Sunnies Are Currently On Sale At Nordstrom (You’re Welcome)

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    In the world of fashion, wins can sometimes be hard to come by. Clothes, shoes, and accessories (especially accessories!) are expensive, particularly the sort that really well-dressed celebrities tend to wear on a regular basis. So, when a sale comes along that just so happens to include eyewear that’s frequently perched atop the noses of some of the world’s most trusted dressers, you have to act on it. Situations like this one don’t happen every day in this business—trust me.

    The sunglasses in question aren’t just any sunglasses. Rather, they’re one of the most timeless, beloved, and instantly recognizable pairs, well, ever. If you haven’t already guessed the style, I’m talking about Ray-Ban’s iconic Wayfarers, which were created in 1952 and subsequently worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause.These days, though, you’re much more likely to spot a pair of the classic, square-shaped shades on the celebrity set, with fans ranging from Kate Middleton to Sophie Turner (both royals in their own right), as well as Reese Witherspoon, Olivia Wilde, and more. 

    If the pair’s storied history or chic fanbase haven’t already convinced you to add a pair of Wayfarers to your eyewear collection, this most certainly will. During Nordstrom’s current spring sale—which sees over 16,000 women’s products red marked ahead of the new season—three color-ways of the best-selling Ray-Ban sunglasses are over 20% off. Keep scrolling to spot the pair on the celebs mentioned above and get in on the sale before it’s too late. 

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    Eliza Huber

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  • Olivia Wilde’s $60 Mango Cardigan Is the Smartest Spring Basic Purchase

    Olivia Wilde’s $60 Mango Cardigan Is the Smartest Spring Basic Purchase

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    If you saw Olivia Wilde at a soccer match for her kids in L.A. and weren’t familiar with the fame of Olivia Wilde, you’d probably just think she was a very cool mom. Sure, she’s very glamorous on the red carpet and when doing press, but her day-to-day vibe is that of a cool mom. She exemplified that last week, in low-rise jeans, a white T-shirt, and a camel-colored cardigan that rings in at just $60 (on sale).

    The cardigan in question is from Mango and there’s a matching bra top if sweater sets are your thing. As you know, camel goes with everything, and cardigans are the perfect cover-up for spring days when a jacket is too much. The cardigan is currently a whopping $40 off, so I advise adding it to your cart before everyone catches wind of the fact that Wilde loves it.

    Scroll to shop it along with a few other Mango cardigans that are also great.

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    Allyson Payer

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  • Olivia Wilde Just Wore the Free People Jacket With Over 700 Positive Reviews

    Olivia Wilde Just Wore the Free People Jacket With Over 700 Positive Reviews

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    As soon as I saw the below photo of Olivia Wilde, I knew right away which jacket she was wearing because I own it myself. Wilde wore Free People’s Dolman Quilted Knit Jacket ($198) in the Vanilla Creme colorway with her go-to gym outfit: a basic sports bra, leggings, sneakers, and a baseball hat. 

    I’m fully obsessed with my jacket, but if you don’t want to take my word for it, consider the 700+ reviews on Free People’s website. One reviewer said it’s the “comfiest thing I own,” while another said she gets “so many compliments on it.” Many reviewers love the jacket so much that they own it in multiple colors—if that doesn’t prove how good it is, I don’t know what would. Another review highlight claims that the jacket is “so comfortable and soft, like a worn-in T-shirt, but is also heavy enough to keep you warm.” Scroll down to see how Olivia Wilde styled her Free People jacket and shop it for yourself. 

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    Erin Fitzpatrick

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  • Olivia Wilde’s Very Flattering Sunglasses Could Be the Next It Shades

    Olivia Wilde’s Very Flattering Sunglasses Could Be the Next It Shades

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    We’ve been talking a lot about celebrities’ shoes and bags lately, so let’s mix things up and talk about sunglasses—specifically, Olivia Wilde’s sunglasses. Celebrities have been wearing Ray-Bans for many, many years, and so has everyone else. The brand’s classic aviators and wayfarers are the most popular styles because they’re the most flattering. The wayfarers, especially, look good on pretty much everyone. And now, 71 years after that style’s release, there’s a new iteration that’s as forward for the year we’re in now as it is classic. Meet the Ray-Ban Mega Wayfarers—Olivia Wilde already has.

    The shades, which Wilde wore while walking around in NYC this week, feature bold frames and are more oversize than the originals. But the face-flattering shape remains the same. They currently come in four shades (Wilde chose the black ones) and ring in under $200.

    Scroll to see Wilde modeling the Mega Wayfarers, and shop them for yourself 

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    Allyson Payer

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  • Ted Lasso Season 3 Is Here With A Nike Collab To Prove It

    Ted Lasso Season 3 Is Here With A Nike Collab To Prove It

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    Pack your bags, we’re going to an AFC Richmond game. Ted Lasso Season 3 is officially back on Apple TV+, which is great news for just about everyone on the whole entire planet. The 40-time Emmy nominated show follows American coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) as he tries to wrangle the English soccer team, AFC Richmond.


    Seemingly the final season in the series, we will see how Richmond owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) deals with her ex-husband, Rupert, in his attempt to purchase West Ham United. At Season 2’s conclusion, we know Rupert has hired Richmond’s assistant coach, Nate, whose lust for the spotlight festered throughout the entire season. Plus, we’ll see the fallout from the breakup between Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley (Juno Temple).

    With stellar episodes written and produced by Sudeikis, Goldstein, and Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), you can’t go wrong. A go-to comfort show for many, Ted Lasso makes you believe in – and root for – a fully fictional sports team. Season 3’s 10 episodes will air over 2 months and conclude on May 17th.

    As Sudeikis is one of the main writers, one has to wonder how much this show parallels his real life experiences. It features a recently divorced Ted Lasso flying overseas, missing his son, and even mentions that Ted’s ex-wife has a new boyfriend the end of episode 1. Plus, the plot itself is almost a tad too similar to the Harry Styles/Olivia Wilde relationship that blew up only a few months ago.

    If you’re ready for more Ted Lasso, Nike has collaborated with the show to give us AFC Richmond merch. I’m Richmond till I die, so here are my fave pieces:

    1. AFC Richmond Jersey
    2. AFC Richmond Scarf
    3. AFC Richmond Men’s Nike Club Fleece Hoodie
    4. AFC Richmond Nike Bantr Shirt

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    Jai Phillips

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  • Olivia Wilde Explains Why She Called A$AP Rocky ‘Hot’ After Backlash

    Olivia Wilde Explains Why She Called A$AP Rocky ‘Hot’ After Backlash

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    Olivia Wilde is clarifying her comments on Rihanna’s partner, A$AP Rocky, after drawing the ire of fans with an ill-timed compliment.

    On Monday, the actor and director shared an Instagram video that had been posted by Rolling Stone that showed A$AP Rocky looking elated as he filmed a segment of Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime performance on his phone.

    “If I thought he was hot before, this really put me over the edge,” Wilde wrote in her Instagram Stories, tagging both Rihanna and A$AP Rocky.

    Regardless of Wilde’s intentions, the post drew heated backlash online, with some calling it “so desperate” and “embarrassing.”

    “Olivia Wilde always seems to be interested in what someone else’s man is doing,” one person tweeted.

    Added another: “She said if her home is wrecked, yours can be too. Pay it forward.”

    The online furor was no doubt exacerbated by A$AP Rocky and Rihanna’s announcement, issued just moments after the halftime show, that they are expecting their second child.

    Rihanna (left) and A$AP Rocky.

    VALERIE MACON via Getty Images

    Later on Monday, Wilde responded to the criticism by resharing the video on her Instagram Stories with a revised message.

    “For anyone who got it twisted … it’s hot to respect your partner,” she wrote. “Especially when your partner just did thaaaaaat.”

    Wilde’s private life came under heavy scrutiny during the production of her latest movie, “Don’t Worry Darling,” when she began a romance with one of the film’s stars, Harry Styles. The pair split last November after dating for about two years.

    Previously, Wilde was in a relationship with actor Jason Sudeikis, with whom she shares two children.

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