Wilde, who directs and stars in the film, was joined on stage by her costars Edward Norton and Seth Rogen. Olivia Wilde tears up as her new movie The Invite gets big standing ovation at Sundance premiere Wilde, who directs and stars in the film, was joined on stage by her costars Edward Norton and Seth Rogen. By Mike Miller Mike Miller Mike Miller is the executive editor on the movies team at . He previously worked as a writerreporter for PEOPLE and TMZ. EW's editorial guidelines January 25, 2026 11:38 a.m.

Wilde, who directs and stars in the film, was joined on stage by her costars Edward Norton and Seth Rogen.

Olivia Wilde tears up as her new movie *The Invite *gets big standing ovation at Sundance premiere

Wilde, who directs and stars in the film, was joined on stage by her costars Edward Norton and Seth Rogen.

By Mike Miller

Mike Miller

Mike Miller is the executive editor on the movies team at . He previously worked as a writer-reporter for PEOPLE and TMZ.

EW's editorial guidelines

January 25, 2026 11:38 a.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Olivia Wilde was brought to tears at the world premiere of her new film *The Invite.*

The *Don't Worry Darling *actor, who directs and stars in the dramatic comedy, got emotional on stage at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on Saturday night when the audience gave the movie an enthusiastic standing ovation, an uncommon response at the festival.

The film, co-written by Rashida Jones, also stars Seth Rogen as Wilde's husband, along with Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton, who play their neighbors. Hilarity and tears ensue when Norton and Cruz's characters arrive for a dinner date and end up propositioning Wilde and Rogen for group sex.

"The standing ovation was very well deserved," festival director Kim Yutani told Wilde as she came on stage for a post-screening Q&A.

When asked about balancing the film's humor and dramatic tones, Wilde said, "I heard a wise person say you're never as vulnerable as when you're laughing. And I think that the great thing about this script was it allowed us to take people on that journey, to let them laugh, let them relax, and then just gut-punch them with divorce."

Olivia Wilde hits back at claims she was 'thirsting' over Rihanna's man, A$AP Rocky

Olivia Wilde tosses special salad dressing recipe to the public after nanny drama

Rogen later revealed that Wilde initially wasn't interested in starring in the movie, but that he and Norton were able to talk her into it. "Once she decided to cast herself in this film, which she didn't seem to want to do, it really took off," he said.

"And I thought that we were able to especially create a dynamic that was, like, so crackling with energy and the rhythms that we had together," he continued. "It felt so alive. And as we were filming it, I remember just really feeling like we were just really cooking at times."

Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen at the after-party for 'The Invite' at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 24, 2026.

Tommaso Boddi/Getty

Norton went on to praise Wilde's ability to direct and act in the film simultaneously. "Seth and I are both people who have directed films that we've been acting in as well. And inevitably, you come to moments where you say, 'This was a terrible decision,'" he said with a laugh.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.*****

"It's hard for me to overstate the grace and wisdom with which Olivia gave that performance and directed us," he added. "She was operating in so many dimensions at the same time, and yet with not a shred of a sense that there was pressure created by any of that juggling act… I just was like, 'Where's the stress? Where's the difficulty?' She seemed to skate so lightly between all of it."**

- Film Festivals

- Sundance Film Festival

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Sundance"

Read More

---

Source: Sundance

Published: January 27, 2026 at 11:38AM on Source: MANUEL MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle