NEWSOlivia Wilde Sets the Record Straight About Her Appearance After Being Compared to Lord of the Rings' Gollum
Olivia Wilde reacted after critics compared her to the 'Lord of the Rings' character Gollum.
May 4 2026, Published 7:50 a.m. ET
Olivia Wilde is clearing the air after her latest red carpet moment sparked unexpected chatter.
On Saturday, May 2, the actress took to Instagram to address the buzz surrounding her appearance at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Wilde attended the April 24 event to debut her upcoming comedy, The Invite, but things quickly took a turn online.
Olivia Wilde responded to online criticism after her red carpet appearance sparked comparisons to Gollum.
During an interview with SFGate, her makeup and the camera angle led some viewers to compare her to Gollum from The Lord of the Rings.
In the now-viral clip, her brother, Charlie Cockburn, can be heard joking, “Olivia Wilde, do you care to address recent rumors that you're a resurrected corpse?”
Keeping it light, Wilde leaned into the moment, saying, “Listen, that is a fish eye lens. And I admit, is that my best angle? Was that my best-ever look? No. No. It's startling. It's a startling image."
She continued with a laugh, "I don't know why I was so close to the camera. I didn't have to be," before adding, "I'm not dead."
The actress explained that a fish-eye lens and close camera angle distorted her look in the viral video.
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Doubling down on her explanation, Wilde said again, “It was a fish-eye lens. I don't know why I was so close to the camera. I didn't have to be. That's not the truth,” as she and her brother laughed it off.
She captioned the Instagram Story — which featured a side-by-side of her red carpet shot and Gollum — "Leave it to your little brother to give you the maximum amount of s---."
Olivia Wilde kept things lighthearted, joking about the situation alongside her brother.
Still, the original interview clip drew plenty of reactions online. While Wilde spoke about her new film being set in San Francisco, the comments section quickly filled with critiques of her appearance.
“The cameraman really doing a disservice here,” one person wrote.
“She looks as if she had found the one ring,” another added, referencing the fantasy franchise.
Meanwhile, Wilde’s latest project is also generating serious buzz.
The Invite is a dark comedy directed by Wilde, starring Seth Rogen and Wilde as a married couple navigating a rough patch. The story centers on “one disastrous hangout as the married couple downstairs invites the freewheeling couple from upstairs over for drinks,” according to The Guardian.
Despite the backlash, Olivia Wilde's new film 'The Invite' is receiving strong early praise from critics.
Back in January, the 42-year-old premiered the film at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received strong early reactions.
“This was the dream, to premiere right here for you guys,” Wilde said, joined by costars Rogen and Edward Norton during a post-screening Q&A.
Festival director Kim Yutani also praised the film, telling Wilde, "The standing ovation was very well deserved."
Critics echoed that sentiment, with IndieWire noting that Wilde “knows exactly what she’s doing, how to calibrate between big laughs and broken hearts, how to use her cast to great effect, and how to surprise her audience at nearly every turn,” adding, “Accept this invite, and fast.”
