Olivia Wilde, a modern-day renaissance woman, has made a significant impact in the film industry while also dedicating herself to philanthropic efforts. Born on March 10, 1984, in New York City, Wilde is the middle child of Leslie Cockburn and Andrew Cockburn. Her parents are of diverse backgrounds, with her mother being American-born and her father being born in London, England, to an upper-class British family, who later became a citizen of Ireland. Wilde's ancestry is a mix of English, Irish, Scottish, German, and Manx descent.
Growing up in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., and spending her summers in Ardmore, County Waterford, Ireland, Wilde developed a strong connection to her heritage. She attended the private Georgetown Day School and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, graduating in 2002. Wilde was accepted into Bard College but deferred her enrollment three times to pursue an acting career. She later studied at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland.
Wilde's television career began with roles in The O.C. and House, where she played the character Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley from 2007 to 2012. Her film credits include Year One, Tron: Legacy, Cowboys & Aliens, In Time, People Like Us, Her, Rush, Drinking Buddies, The Longest Week, Love the Coopers, and Meadowland.
As a dedicated philanthropist, Wilde is a board member of the organization "Artists for Peace and Justice," which supports communities in Haiti through programs in education, health care, and dignity through the performing arts. She has also served as an executive producer on several documentary short films, including Sun City Picture House and Baseball in the Time of Cholera.
Wilde's personal life includes a relationship with Jason Sudeikis, with whom she has two children, Otis Alexander Sudeikis and Daisy Josephine Sudeikis. The couple announced their separation in November 2020. In addition to her acting career, Wilde made her Broadway debut in the play "1984" at the Hudson Theatre in New York City in 2017. She has recently starred in Life Itself and A Vigilante.