The 10 Best Olivia Wilde Roles

Olivia Wilde has built a film and television career that spans network dramas, studio blockbusters, indie standouts, and historical biopics. Across these projects, she’s played doctors, rebels, reporters, rock-scene survivors, and more, working with directors ranging from Joseph Kosinski and Ron Howard to Spike Jonze and Martin Scorsese. Beyond leading parts, she’s also made precise use of supporting roles that add texture to larger ensembles.

This list gathers a mix of series and films that showcase the range of her on-screen work. You’ll find details on the characters she portrays, the creative teams behind the projects, and the context that shaped each performance—from story setups and production approaches to box-office outcomes and awards attention tied to the titles themselves.

‘House’ (2007–2012) – Remy “Thirteen” Hadley

Wilde joins the Princeton–Plainsboro team as Remy Hadley, a diagnostic fellow whose nickname, “Thirteen,” sticks after a hiring contest run by Dr. Gregory House. The series is created by David Shore and centers on rare-disease puzzle cases, with Thirteen’s storyline involving Huntington’s disease testing, complex patient care, and rotating team dynamics under House’s leadership.

Her run on the show spans multiple seasons with arcs that include clinical trials, legal entanglements, and on-again, off-again status within House’s department. The role places her alongside cast members like Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps, Jesse Spencer, and Lisa Edelstein, and features crossovers with recurring guest stars tied to the hospital’s evolving administrative and ethical challenges.

‘Tron: Legacy’ (2010) – Quorra

In this sequel to the original ‘Tron’, Wilde plays Quorra, an algorithmic entity who helps Sam Flynn navigate the Grid after he’s pulled into the digital world built by his father. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film pairs live-action performances with large-scale digital environments, Daft Punk’s score, and extensive visual-effects pipelines built to realize light-cycles, disc combat, and de-aging techniques.

Quorra functions as a guide inside the system and a link to Kevin Flynn’s history, with action sequences staged across arenas, nightclubs, and transit corridors run by the program CLU. The production used stereoscopic 3D capture, large LED elements, and custom costumes with illuminated components, with Quorra’s design incorporating asymmetrical hair and armor motifs suited to high-speed stunts.

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ (2022) – Bunny

Wilde appears as Bunny in this psychological thriller set in a planned company town, where residents follow strict rules curated by a charismatic leader. Directed by Wilde, the film stars Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, with Bunny operating as a neighbor and friend whose choices become significant as the story’s mystery tightens.

The production blends mid-century design, desert exteriors, and practical set builds to create the community’s controlled aesthetic. Wilde’s role intersects with the town’s wellness rituals, social gatherings, and security protocols, contributing to plot turns that hinge on how the settlement is constructed and maintained behind the scenes.

‘A Vigilante’ (2018) – Sadie

Wilde leads this thriller as Sadie, a domestic-abuse survivor who helps others escape violent situations using cash-only logistics, coded communications, and tactical planning. The film focuses on the mechanics of post-trauma recovery, shelter networks, and legal gaps that leave victims vulnerable, with scenes built around safe-house protocols and off-grid travel.

The production emphasizes restrained staging, close-quarters confrontation, and minimal-gear fight choreography designed to appear learnable rather than superheroic. Sadie’s operations involve burner phones, drop points, and training routines that the film documents step-by-step, aligning the character’s backstory with the practical realities of helping clients disappear quickly.

‘Drinking Buddies’ (2013) – Kate

Set at a Chicago craft brewery, ‘Drinking Buddies’ follows co-workers whose friendships overlap with their relationships outside work. Directed by Joe Swanberg, the film uses an improvisation-heavy approach, with Wilde’s character, Kate, working production shifts, handling tastings, and navigating boundaries with colleagues played by Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, and Ron Livingston.

The brewery setting supplies fermentation tanks, canning lines, and tasting-room service as daily backdrops, while the production’s method leans on outline-based scenes captured with natural lighting and location sound. The result highlights workplace rhythms—from collaboration on seasonal releases to late-night clean-downs—and the small social decisions that shape team culture.

‘Rush’ (2013) – Suzy Miller

Ron Howard’s Formula One drama charts the rivalry between drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, with Wilde portraying Suzy Miller within Hunt’s off-track life. The film reconstructs race weekends, pit-lane strategy, and media attention on the sport, integrating period-correct cars, sponsor liveries, and circuit recreations overseen by motorsport consultants.

Wilde’s scenes intersect with contractual negotiations, press obligations, and the financial pressures tied to team performance and endorsements. The production combines practical racing footage with mounted camera rigs and controlled track runs, matching telemetry-based timing with edited sequences that detail weather conditions, tire choices, and mechanical reliability.

‘Meadowland’ (2015) – Sarah

In this drama directed by Reed Morano, Wilde plays Sarah, a teacher coping with the aftermath of a family disappearance. The narrative tracks the administrative, legal, and therapeutic layers that follow such an event, including contact with investigators, school-district procedures, and mandated reporting guidelines tied to her profession.

The production relies on handheld cinematography, available-light interiors, and location permits across apartments, classrooms, and police facilities. Scenes depict intake interviews, support-group structures, and the way routine tasks—grading, staff meetings, commuting—are reshaped by ongoing case developments handled by different agencies.

‘Richard Jewell’ (2019) – Kathy Scruggs

Clint Eastwood’s biographical drama covers the security guard whose actions at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park drew both praise and suspicion. Wilde plays Kathy Scruggs, a reporter depicted within the newsroom ecosystem of assignment editors, legal counsel, and sourcing practices that drive coverage during breaking-news cycles.

The film shows credentialing, off-the-record discussions, and the interplay between law-enforcement briefings and newsroom deadlines. Production design recreates desks, press badges, and archive systems, while scenes outline the steps by which a developing lead moves from tip to bylined story, including copy edits, approvals, and vendor printing timelines.

‘Her’ (2013) – Blind Date

Spike Jonze’s ‘Her’ follows a letter-writer who begins a relationship with an operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Wilde appears as a blind date arranged through mutual contacts, and their meeting highlights expectations around app-based matchmaking, consent cues, and the way social profiles can misrepresent live interactions.

The film blends cityscapes, transit nodes, and high-rise interiors with a production design that favors warm palettes and minimal clutter. Wilde’s scene anchors one chapter of the protagonist’s attempts to reenter single life, documenting how reservations are made, messages are exchanged, and post-date follow-ups unfold when both sides weigh next steps differently.

‘The O.C.’ (2004–2005) – Alex Kelly

On this teen-drama series created by Josh Schwartz, Wilde plays Alex Kelly, who manages the ‘Bait Shop’ music venue that becomes a hub for several characters. Her storyline involves scheduling bands, dealing with vendor contracts, and navigating local permit rules tied to noise and capacity limits as the venue builds its reputation.

Alex’s arc overlaps with school calendars, family dynamics, and the show’s emphasis on Orange County real-estate culture. Production elements include licensed music performances, venue dressing with gig posters and backline gear, and recurring set pieces that track how the club’s staffing and security policies affect who gets through the door on busy nights.

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