Olivia Wilde

Wilde says she prefers simple phone self-tapes over elaborate lighting and framing setups.

“I'd rather have someone's like shitty iPhone selfie video in their car”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 25:39

Wilde says that as a director she gives every auditioning actor full time even when she knows they won't be cast.

“Even if I know from the first moment that it's not going to be them, I'm like, this is your time”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 24:47

Wilde recounts that Sam Rockwell told her his legendary quick-memorization audition was a routine tactic he used.

“I always heard this story when I was an assistant and it just really inspired me. And he goes, oh, oh yeah”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 22:14

Wilde notes that casting directors rarely hire aspiring actors as assistants because of the conflict of interest.

“It's not something most casting directors will let you do. They don't usually hire wannabe actors because it's dangerous”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 19:33

Wilde argues that a director's first film tends to contain a lifetime of accumulated ideas.

“I think often your first movie is the one you've been building up for your entire life”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 53:33

Wilde says years on film sets served as her substitute for the college and film school she never attended.

“my proxy film school, because I didn't go to college, didn't go to film school, and I was always insecure about that lack of education”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 53:15

Wilde says she mostly used one camera on The Invite, inspired by Tarantino's advice about perspective.

“Have one camera, pick your perspective. Anytime you have two cameras, one shot is suffering”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 51:40

Wilde says Edward Norton improvised an entire monologue in the third act of The Invite.

“he ended up improvising like an entire monologue in the third act of this movie”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 48:04

Wilde blames agents for keeping actors unavailable for rehearsal before shooting.

“Agents are the ones who are like, no, he's not available until the minute you start rolling the camera”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 46:53

Wilde argues that rehearsal time is too readily sacrificed in filmmaking.

“I was like, can we stop giving away rehearsal time immediately when we make movies? Like, it's the first thing we give up”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 46:40

Wilde says she chose her surname after becoming obsessed with Oscar Wilde through performing The Importance of Being Earnest.

“And the first play I did that I really loved was The Importance of Being Earnest. And then I read everything that Oscar Wilde wrote and I just became obsessed with him”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 18:34

Wilde argues that growing up with an embarrassing surname builds character and is good for a person.

“I truly think it's good for you. I think that everyone should be given one really devastating part of their name”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 17:10

Wilde says the improvised Drinking Buddies was the first time she believed she could write or direct.

“it was the first time I kind of took myself seriously as potentially being able to write something or maybe direct something one day”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 42:00

Wilde observes that Japan's clean streets reflect civic respect rather than an abundance of trash cans.

“So it's not because like, oh, they have so many trash cans. It's that they just respect the city enough to not litter”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 36:24

Wilde attributes her desire to make comedies to childhood memories of her family laughing together.

“I think it is probably the happiest memories from childhood. I think I'm trying to recreate that feeling”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 32:58