Olivia Wilde stated that modern cinema lacks authenticity in the representation of sexuality, despite the fact that some of her own productions include explicit sexual scenes.
The 41-year-old actress was the director of the film Don’t Worry Darling (2022), which generated debate among viewers due to the participation of the then rookie actor Harry Styles and his intimate scenes with Florence Pugh.
During an interview with Variety, the famous woman commented on a recent survey that indicated that many young people prefer not to see sexual scenes in movies.
“I think Generation Z is quite intelligent, I wouldn’t dare say they don’t understand anything. I think they understand a lot more than the rest of us, so I don’t know where that perception comes from. I find it interesting. I think the way sex has been portrayed in cinema for a long time has not been particularly realistic,” he said.
He added: “There is a movement now towards authenticity, which is positive, and I choose to interpret that statistic as Generation Z saying they don’t want to see anything that is not authentic. We want to see real relationships and things that feel more authentic.”
Notably, Don’t Worry Darling included several explicit sexual scenes, such as a moment in which Harry Styles performs oral sex on Florence Pugh while she is lying on a kitchen table.
The director also spoke about the challenges of filming the film during the pandemic.
“It definitely affects that exact ingredient of the process, camaraderie. It makes everything more difficult. You have to focus a lot on everyone’s eyes. Everyone communicates differently and there are a lot of gestures,” he explained.
The film generated great interest in the film industry and sparked an auction in which 18 studios participated, with New Line Cinema being the company that acquired the rights.
However, Olivia Wilde had to remove some scenes from the film’s first trailer to obtain approval from the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
“There was a lot that had to be cut from the trailer. The MPA pressured me at the last minute and I had to cut some shots. It bothered me because I thought it gave a more intense level to the film,” he told the Associated Press.
Regarding sexual content in American cinema, Wilde noted that the lack of eroticism is a relatively recent phenomenon.
“We live in a society that still has certain puritanical codes. I think the absence of eroticism in American cinema is something new. As for female pleasure, it is something that is not seen very often, unless we talk about cinequeer,” he explained.
According to Wilde, queer productions allow female characters more space to explore their pleasure, in contrast to what corporations often assume about the audience.
“Viewers are not as puritanical as companies think. And yet, people get upset. In fact, they have already gotten upset with me for this. I think that shows the intention of the film: we want to be provocative. The idea is not to make you feel safe,” he said.
Olivia Wilde made her directorial debut in 2019 with the comedy Booksmart, and has since alternated her career between acting and directing.
