Pamela Anderson's 'stay soft' advice helped Olivia Wilde through 'Don't Worry Darling' drama

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actress and Director Olivia Wilde revealed on the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast that a piece of advice from actress and model Pamela Anderson stayed with her during one of the most challenging periods of her life.

Wilde shared how a private exchange with Anderson helped her navigate intense public scrutiny following the release of 'Don't Worry Darling'. The message encouraged her to embrace vulnerability rather than let difficult experiences harden her perspective.

Pamela Anderson's advice helped Olivia Wilde through 'Don't Worry Darling' drama

During the podcast conversation, Wilde recalled reaching out to Anderson after watching her 2023 documentary 'Pamela, A Love Story.'

“The thing that I’ve learned, and I actually learned this from… This sounds so crazy,” she began.

Wilde continued, “But after I saw the documentary about Pamela Anderson, I reached out to her, and I was like, ‘Yo, respect. Just want to say big fan, respect.’”

She explained that Anderson was “aware of some of the things that I was going through” at the time and responded with advice that left a lasting impression.

“She wrote to me and she said, ‘The most rebellious thing you can do is stay soft. Don't let it harden you,’” Wilde recalled.

'Pamela, A Love Story' premiered on Netflix in January 2023, four months after Wilde released 'Don't Worry Darling.'

Reflecting on the scrutiny surrounding the film's promotion, Wilde admitted it was difficult not to respond publicly to rumors and criticism.

“It was so hard, because I wanted to be like, 'Can I just talk to people? Can I just go and say, like, That's not true! That's not true!’” she said.

“And it was like, 'No, that won't help.' And that was really hard.”

At the same time, she remained focused on supporting the people behind the project.

“I was like, 'It's not about me. It's about this movie that everyone works so hard to make,'” Wilde said.

“And I felt like I was working on behalf of hundreds of people who had worked through COVID to make something really difficult.”

Olivia Wilde reflects on criticism as Pamela Anderson embraces a career resurgence

The criticism, however, remained difficult to process.

“I felt frustrated that I couldn't defend myself, but it also felt like, 'Okay, it's not about you. Just get the movie out,'” Wilde said.

“And the pummeling that I took was so insanely disproportionate.”

Looking back, Wilde said she “didn’t understand the value of vulnerability” at the time.

“I thought that, put a smile on and get out there and put on a beautiful dress and, like, be Teflon, and that was the way to get through it,” she remarked.

She continued, “I actually think there's value in being vulnerable and just being like, ‘Oh, ouch. I don't know, this hurts!’”

Anderson's message came during a period of personal and professional reinvention for the actress.

Reflecting on returning home to Vancouver Island, Anderson previously said, “I came home a couple of years ago thinking, 'Oh well, I guess I created this cartoon character, and there's just no way out of it'.”

She continued, “I was peeling it all back and thinking, 'I'll make pickles and jam in my garden, and I'll make my life beautiful no matter what.' I'm always creative. I was always known for that. But I needed to do something for my soul.”

The decision ultimately led to widespread recognition, including nominations for a Gotham Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a SAG Award.

Speaking about the unexpected acclaim, Anderson said, “I knew I had this performance inside me. I knew I had something to give, more to give than what I was giving, but I didn't know if it would be award-worthy or anything like that. The win is doing it."