Actor and filmmaker Olivia Wilde isn’t holding back about how dramatically her opinion of Elon Musk has changed over the years.
While speaking with journalist Louis Theroux, the “Booksmart” director reflected on meeting the billionaire when SpaceX was still establishing itself in Los Angeles.
While she initially viewed Musk as an intelligent entrepreneur interested in philanthropy, Wilde now says she “deeply resents” him, blaming what she sees as his role in amplifying misogynistic ideology and harmful cultural narratives.
During an appearance on “The Louis Theroux Podcast,” Olivia Wilde recalled visiting SpaceX years ago because she wanted to tour the company’s rocket facilities.
At the time, she was involved with a nonprofit organization in Haiti that was building hospitals and schools, and Musk had expressed interest in supporting the effort financially.
“I really resent him now. I really deeply resent him,” Wilde said per Variety before reflecting on that first encounter. “I met him many, many years ago. I think SpaceX had just built their headquarters in L.A. and I got to go on a tour because I wanted to see the rocket ships.”
She explained that Musk had shown an interest in donating to the Haiti-based charity.
Wilde added, “He was interested in donating money to an organization that I was a part of in Haiti that was building hospitals and schools. I believe he did donate a little bit of money, and that’s appreciated.”
Despite acknowledging the contribution, Wilde admitted she left the meeting uncertain about him.
She said, “I was confused by him. I would never have predicted he would go down the path he has gone down. He did seem really smart.”
The Actress Says Musk ‘Turned Into This Creature’
3The strongest moment of the interview came when Olivia Wilde contrasted the Elon Musk she met years ago with the public figure she believes he has become.
“It was before he turned into this creature,” she said per the Daily Mail, explaining that she never imagined he would eventually become one of the world’s most polarizing figures.
While Wilde didn’t point to one specific event that changed her opinion, she suggested it was Musk’s increasingly vocal public positions that fundamentally altered how she viewed him.
Her remarks come after several years in which Musk has expanded his public profile beyond technology through political commentary, social media debates, and outspoken opinions on a range of cultural issues.
Why Olivia Wilde Connected Musk To Incel Culture
Wilde’s criticism emerged during a broader discussion about misogyny, gender politics, and the ideas she believes have become increasingly mainstream.
She argued that Musk’s repeated warnings about declining birth rates fit into what she sees as a larger worldview centered on power and control.
Among the examples she cited were his long-standing comments that humanity faces an underpopulation crisis and that the world could sustain significantly more people.
Musk has repeatedly argued for years that falling birth rates represent one of civilization’s greatest long-term threats, describing population decline as a more serious risk than many people realize.
For Wilde, those statements connect to broader conversations about gender roles and the influence of online “manosphere” communities.
She argued that some influential figures have helped normalize ideas rooted in misogyny, particularly the belief that men should exercise greater control over society and women’s choices.
The Conversation Also Revisited Her Jordan Peterson Controversy
The discussion didn’t focus exclusively on Elon Musk.
Theroux also asked Olivia Wilde about comments she made while promoting her 2022 psychological thriller “Don’t Worry Darling,” when she described psychologist and author Jordan Peterson as a “pseudo-intellectual” whose ideas had influenced Chris Pine’s controlling character in the film.
Looking back, Wilde acknowledged she “might have been unfair” in using that particular label because Peterson “obviously thinks about things deeply.”
However, she maintained that her broader concerns remain unchanged.
According to Wilde, Peterson represents what she called a more polished version of ideas that eventually lead to figures like Donald Trump, arguing that many people embrace what she views as sanitized versions of philosophies rooted in misogyny.
Olivia Wilde Says Those Themes Continue To Shape Her Work
3The interview also highlighted how those cultural debates continue influencing Wilde’s creative projects.
She explained that many of the themes explored in her latest film, “The Invite,” stem from questions about entitlement, relationships, and power dynamics between men and women.
During the conversation, Wilde argued that affection should never be treated as something one partner is automatically owed simply because of a relationship.