Olivia Wilde (born Olivia Jane Cockburn on March 10, 1984) is an American actress, director, and producer. She was born in New York City and raised in Washington, D.C. Her father, Andrew Cockburn, is a journalist and her mother, Leslie Cockburn, is a producer and writer. She has an older brother and a younger half-sister.
Wilde began acting in theater productions and made her television debut in 2003. She gained her first major role as Alex Kelly on the teen drama series The O.C. in 2004. Her breakthrough came when she joined the medical drama House in 2007, playing the role of Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley, a character with Huntington's disease. She remained on the show until 2012 and earned several award nominations for her performance.
In film, Wilde appeared in a variety of genres. She starred in Tron: Legacy (2010) as the program Quorra, The Change-Up (2011) opposite Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman, and the horror film The Lazarus Effect (2015). She also had leading roles in Drinking Buddies (2013) with Jake Johnson, and the thriller A Vigilante (2018), which she also produced.
Wilde turned to directing with the comedy Booksmart (2019), which was widely praised for its fresh take on the teen genre. The film earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Her second directorial effort, Don't Worry Darling (2022), starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, generated extensive media attention and grossed over $87 million worldwide.
Outside of acting and directing, Wilde is an activist and philanthropist. She has worked with the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, and the Enough Project, which aims to end conflicts in Africa. She also co-founded the ethical fashion brand Conscious Commerce.
Wilde was married to Italian filmmaker Tao Ruspoli from 2003 to 2011. She later had a relationship with actor and comedian Jason Sudeikis, with whom she has two children. In 2020, Time magazine listed her among the 100 most influential people in the world.