Olivia Wilde laughs off ‘Gollum’ comparisons, blames ‘fisheye lens’ for viral red carpet look

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Olivia Wilde doesn’t really let online chatter get to her, and she proved it again after trolls compared her recent red carpet look to Gollum from ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ In an Instagram Story, she simply laughed off the comments instead of taking them to heart. “I’m not dead,” the actress-filmmaker jokingly said.

Wilde clarified that the unusual appearance during her interview with SFGate was largely caused by a fisheye camera lens, which is known for its ultra-wide angle that can distort facial features. At the same time, she honestly admitted that it still wasn’t her most flattering red carpet moment.

Olivia Wilde laughs off Gollum comparisons

The ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ director and mother-of-two leaned into the jokes in a playful Instagram Story, even sharing a clip of her brother teasing her about whether she wanted to respond to rumors calling her a “resurrected corpse.” She paired the video with a split image of her much-discussed red carpet moment alongside Gollum, clearly not taking the chatter too seriously.

Wilde also addressed the buzz head-on, pointing to the camera setup behind the viral image. “Listen, that is a fisheye lens,” she said. “And I admit, is that my best angle? Was that my best-ever look? No.” She added, “It’s a startling image. It was a fisheye lens. I don’t know why I was so close to the camera, I didn’t have to be. That’s not the truth.”

She joked about the situation while dressed casually in a cap and hoodie as she lounged off-camera during the short Instagram clip posted on May 3. As the questions continued, she broke into laughter and quipped, “Do you have any more questions?”

At one point, Wilde also reflected on the awkward angle, admitting she wasn’t sure why she ended up so close to the lens and suggesting that it played a big role in how the image turned out.

Wilde was recently at the San Francisco International Film Festival on April 24, where she promoted her new project, ‘The Invite.’

Olivia Wilde faces renewed scrutiny over her appearance 

In the viral clip, Wilde appeared in a white T-shirt paired with a black ruffled skirt while speaking about her upcoming film ahead of the San Francisco International Film Festival. But instead of the project, many viewers focused on her noticeably slimmer look. Social media users commented that she looked “too thin.”

The reaction comes as Wilde, one of the most photographed women in Hollywood, continues to face intense public scrutiny over her looks. This isn’t the first time for her. She has talked about the pressure on women and unfair beauty standards before.

As she once told Vogue, “Beauty isn’t an obligation in order to interact with the rest of the world.”

Wilde has consistently used interviews to push back against body-shaming and promote body positivity. This latest round of commentary, however, is another reminder of how quickly online conversations can shift from a film promotion moment into personal speculation.