Olivia Wilde recalls death threats over controversial 'House' plot
Olivia Wilde revealed that during her time working on the series "House, M.D.," she received "insane death threats." The reason? Her character's relationship with a Black character in the series.
The actress, known for her role as Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley in the popular medical series that aired from 2007 to 2012, discussed this experience at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. As reported by "The Independent," Wilde confessed that the criticism was due to her character's relationship with Dr. Eric Foreman, played by Omar Epps.
Olivia Wilde on the death threats
The actress reflected on receiving "insane death threats constantly coming into the studios." She also mentioned that her character's bisexuality was controversial at the time. Comparing it to modern shows like Euphoria, she remarked that what was once seen as shocking and groundbreaking now feels relatively insignificant.
"House, M.D." ended its broadcast in 2012 after eight seasons and was recognized as the most popular broadcast TV program according to the Guinness Book of World Records, watched by 81.8 million people in 66 countries. To this day, episodes can be watched on Netflix.
Wilde also shared her reflections on women's work in the film industry during the festival. "Movies directed by women don't make less money," she emphasized. "It's not the audience's problem. It's the financiers, it's the studios. They need to take what they perceive as a risk." The actress encouraged young women to boldly enter the entertainment world, saying,
"There’s no shortage of talent, only shortage of opportunity. There aren’t less women studying film. There’s less women getting their movies made."
Let's recall that Wilde has been an actress and a director for some time. She is known for the notable production "Don't Worry Darling." She cast her then-partner, Harry Styles, in one of the leading roles. The media speculated how strange it must have been to shoot intimate scenes between Styles and Florence Pugh while his partner was behind the camera. The hype surrounding the movie brought moderate financial success; the story about a housewife in an idealized community hiding a cruel truth earned a little over $80 million in theaters.
