Harry and Olivia
take their relationship to the next level
IN THE WORLD OF celebrity romances, these days, becoming ‘Insta official’ is a landmark that could be equated to the first red carpet appearance in the days of showbiz past. So, the virtual excitement when Olivia Wilde posted an Instagram love letter to her rumoured boyfriend Harry Styles – the day after Valentine’s Day – was palpable.
In the post, which featured a black and white shot of Harry (above), Olivia referenced the film she’s just finished directing him in, Don’t Worry Darling. ‘Little known fact: most male actors don’t want to play supporting roles in female-led films,’ Olivia, 36, said, adding that Harry, 27, ‘infused every scene with a nuanced sense of humanity’ and ‘jumped on-board with humility and grace’.
It was a public declaration that appeared to confirm the pair’s blossoming romance, which first emerged with photos of them holding hands as they left a California wedding together in January. ‘They’ve been hanging out a lot with Harry’s friends in LA. His manager, Jeff Azoff, has been a real champion in terms of getting them together,’ says a friend close to the couple.
Other photos, which appear to show Olivia moving things out of the home she shared with Jason Sudeikis – her former fiancé and father of her two children (Otis, six, and Daisy, four), from whom she split last year – and into Harry’s LA house, may not be proof that she and Harry have actually moved in together. But, the source says, they are spending a lot of time together at the house.
Don’t Worry Darling, which is expected to be released next year, is the second directorial work from Olivia, whose first film, Booksmart, was a huge success with critics. Having been well-known since she appeared in The OC at 19, moving into directing marks a career chapter that Olivia has been set on since her twenties. Brought up by journalist parents (Andrew Cockburn is the British-born Washington editor of
Harper’s magazine, while her mother, Patricia Cockburn, edits US news show
60 Minutes), Olivia was raised in Washington DC, in a world full of famous names and artistic connections: Mick Jagger, Salman Rushdie and George Clooney are all family acquaintances. She has since appeared in multiple films and built up a firm place in her own Hollywood circle, counting actors Emily Blunt and Megalyn Echikunwoke as close friends.
So, what next for Olivia and her leading man? ‘They’re both taking each day as it comes, but everyone who knows them says it’s clear they’re in it for the long haul,’ added the source. ‘Harry’s friends have never seen him click like this with anyone else before. There’s such a natural and easy vibe between them – you can see how happy they make each other.’