Olivia Wilde Calls Out Gender Bias in Film Industry, Says Boys Are Encouraged to Direct, Girls to Act.
Olivia Wilde is speaking out against the gender bias that shapes how young people are encouraged to pursue careers in Hollywood.
The director of Don’t Worry Darling and Booksmart shared her thoughts at the Red Sea International Film Festival, where she discussed the unequal expectations placed on children based on their gender. Wilde pointed out that young girls, when expressing interest in movies, are often steered toward acting, while boys are encouraged to direct.
“When little girls say they love movies, they’re told, ‘Oh, you should be an actress,’” Wilde explained. “But when little boys say the same thing, people tell them, ‘You should be a director.’”
Wilde also criticized the industry’s reluctance to back female-directed films, despite evidence that these movies perform just as well, if not better, than those directed by men.
“Movies directed by women don’t make less money,” she said. “The issue isn’t with the audience—it’s with the financiers and studios. They need to stop seeing it as a risk.”
She added, “There’s no shortage of talent among women; the real problem is the lack of opportunity. Women aren’t studying film any less than men. They’re just not getting their films made.”
The director called on women in Hollywood to be more assertive and confident in their ambitions, especially when it comes to financing projects.
“We need to raise women to believe they’re allowed to take up space, to be leaders,” Wilde stated. “It’s tough to run a production, and it’s tough for men too. But as women, we’re often told to apologize for our existence. As a director, you can’t afford to do that. We need to change how we raise women to think about themselves, to encourage them to be fearless.”
Wilde also reflected on her own career and how she transitioned from acting to producing and directing. She noted that, as an actress, she faced an age bias, where the more experience she gained, the less valued she became in Hollywood.
“Acting is the only job where the more experience you have, the less valuable you become,” she said. “For actresses, the older you get, the less valuable you become.”
Wilde decided to take control of her career by stepping behind the camera. Her debut as a producer with 2015’s Meadowland led to her first feature film as a director, Booksmart, in 2019.
“For me, it was such a boost in confidence to know that I can walk into a room, sell a movie, and get it financed because I know what I’m talking about,” she said.
Wilde’s words are a call for change, urging both the film industry and society at large to break free from outdated gender norms and give women more opportunities to lead both in front of and behind the camera.
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