'How Do You Win?': Olivia Wilde On Hollywood's Demanding Beauty Standards For Women

Women in Hollywood today face an increasingly difficult decision: to get cosmetic procedures that limit their acting ability, or to age naturally and be scrutinized for looking "too old." Olivia Wilde called attention to this issue in a June 2026 interview with Chloe Malle on "The Run-Through with Vogue." Wilde pointed out that for her, as a director, it has become hard to find actors who can properly emote because of plastic surgery. Nevertheless, she understands why women undergo face-freezing procedures. "I am a product of the same machine. I am under the same pressures. I get it," Wilde said. "There's something so medieval about a lot of these things ... Can't someone come up with something better than Botox?" 

Wilde went on to compare an actor's face to their "instrument," explaining that they must choose between being able to freely express themselves in a role, and adhering to society's strict beauty standards. "You have to be able to use [your face], but then you have to go on a carpet," Wilde said. "I've had the thing of people being like, 'She looks old and dead and awful,' and you're like, 'F—, how do you win?' It's impossible." It is incredibly difficult to stop comparing yourself to unrealistic beauty standards, even more so while in the spotlight. There are celebs who have opened up about their plastic surgery experiences and celebrities who came to regret their face tune-ups. However, accomplished actors and creatives like Wilde drawing attention to the unfair expectations placed on women in the entertainment industry is a step in the right direction. 

Olivia Wilde has been very outspoken about the pressures that come with being a woman in the world today, especially when in the public eye. Wilde's perspective on the industry is incredibly unique, given that she's been both behind and in front of the camera — and she's not afraid to share it. Just one week before her conversation with Chloe Malle about Hollywood's plastic surgery epidemic took place, Wilde discussed a viral red carpet video which spawned discourse about her appearance. 

While the "Don't Worry Darling" director acknowledged that the video could look concerning to those on the outside — as it was a "bad picture" — she also explained that seeing the online discussion about her body was upsetting. "I was there promoting my movie ... I'm there as a director, I'm so proud. It's almost like the internet doesn't know how to talk about a woman," Wilde said on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast. "It's like there's two levers and they're like, 'men in your life' and 'body' ... You could also talk about other things."