Olivia Wilde says The Invite made her more romantic

Olivia Wilde has said that making and touring "The Invite" left her "so much more romantic" and helped dissolve her cynicism, following conversations with audience members at the Locarno Film Festival. Speaking about the response to the comedy, which she also stars in alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, she said long-married couples told her the film honestly captured the experience of essentially having several relationships with the same partner over time. She had initially thought "The Invite" was about the end of a relationship, but now views it as exploring whether a couple can begin again with each other.

Wilde's third feature as director, following "Booksmart" and "Don't Worry Darling", follows Joe and Angela (Rogen and Wilde) as they host a dinner party for their upstairs neighbours. She said she was surprised the film resonated so strongly with under-35s, who make up its biggest US audience and approach its themes with hope rather than regret, leaving her more optimistic about romance and adult storytelling in cinema. She also said she had pushed for a theatrical release, arguing that communal laughter in cinemas is an ancient, undervalued part of storytelling culture.