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Olivia Wilde Slams Elon Musk as a ‘Creature’ and Says ‘I Deeply Resent Him Now,’ Years After Meeting at SpaceX Headquarters
Olivia Wilde has publicly criticised Elon Musk, calling him a "creature" and saying she now "deeply resents" him, despite once meeting him years ago on friendly terms during a tour of SpaceX's Los Angeles headquarters. Speaking on "The Louis Theroux Podcast," the actress and director tied her disdain for Musk to a broader critique of incel culture, arguing that his rhetoric about population growth echoes ideology she sees as harmful to women. Her comments add another prominent celebrity voice to ongoing public criticism of Musk's views and public conduct.
Wilde recalled meeting Musk "many, many years ago" when he was interested in donating to a Haiti-based charity she supported that built hospitals and schools, saying he did contribute some money and that she found him "really smart" but was "confused" by him, never expecting he would take the path he has since followed. She specifically pointed to his comments about the world being "underpopulated" as reflecting a mindset she links to incel ideology. The interview also saw Wilde revisit her 2022 remarks during the "Don't Worry Darling" press tour, when she compared Jordan Peterson to an "incel hero," partially softening her earlier "pseudo-intellectual" description while maintaining that his ideas feed into more extreme figures such as Andrew Tate.
In short
- Olivia Wilde calls Elon Musk a "creature," says she now resents him.
- She once toured SpaceX HQ and found him donation-friendly and "smart."
- Wilde links Musk's population comments to incel ideology, revisits Jordan Peterson remarks.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of Wilde's criticism argue that Musk's rhetoric about underpopulation, particularly when viewed alongside his broader social commentary and influence, does reflect a worldview that problematically instrumentalises women for reproductive purposes. They contend that demographic concerns, when framed by billionaires with massive platforms, can amplify manosphere-adjacent messaging that devalues women. Public figures with such influence should face scrutiny for rhetoric that aligns with harmful gender ideologies, they argue, even if unintentionally.
The case against
Those sceptical of Wilde's characterisation argue that demographic decline is a legitimate economic and policy concern studied by mainstream experts worldwide, and that discussing underpopulation does not inherently reveal misogyny or extremism. They maintain that expressing population concerns, whilst some extremists may also discuss demographics, does not establish a meaningful connection to incel ideology. Wilde's reductive comparison, they contend, conflates reasonable policy discussion with gender-based harm and potentially obscures more substantive analysis of both demographic challenges and actual extremism.
Explained simply
Olivia Wilde is an American actress and filmmaker, whilst Elon Musk is a technology entrepreneur and chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX. The two met years ago when Musk showed interest in a Haiti-based charity Wilde championed and made a donation to it.
Since that meeting, Wilde's view of Musk has changed substantially. She has become critical of his public statements suggesting the world is underpopulated, seeing them as reflecting ideas harmful to women. Her criticism adds to broader public scrutiny of Musk's influence and the worldview he expresses publicly.
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