Jess Hardiman
Olivia Wilde has unveiled a bold Met Gala look after hitting back at trolls over cruel comments comparing her to Lord of the Rings character Gollum.
Wilde went viral for all the wrong reasons after being interviewed on the red carpet of the San Francisco International Film Festival on 24 April, where she was promoting her latest comedy flick, The Invite.
Within hours, trolls were comparing the 42-year-old to Gollum, all thanks to the shadows that the poor lighting had cast upon her face.
"She looks as if she had found the one ring," one X user wrote cruelly.
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Another hit out: "The cameraman really doing a disservice here."
Thankfully, it didn’t seem to bother her too much, as Wilde later hit back on Instagram to join in on the joke.
Sharing an image of the fantasy character made famous by Andy Serkis, she wrote: "Leave it to your little brother to give you the maximum amount of s**t."
Her brother Charlie Cockburn then asked in the background: "Olivia Wilde, do you care to address recent rumours that you're a resurrected corpse?"
Wilde explained: "Listen, that's a fish-eye lens. And I admit, is that my best angle? Was that my best-ever look? No.
"No, it's startling. It's a startling image."
But now she's had the perfect comeback to all those harsh remarks - by turning up to this year's Met Gala looking absolutely STUNNING.
She donned a gorgeous, form-fitting black Thom Browne gown, showing her haters who's really got the last laugh.
The silhouette from the front looks classic enough, but it’s definitely a case of party-in-the-back with a cage-like frame around her derriere – something that’s left us all wondering the same question.
“How will you sit for dinner?” one journalist asked in footage shared by The Cut.
Explaining her look, Wilde told the outlet: “It’s incredible and it’s part of the exhibit in terms of body and abstract body shapes…which is one of the big pillars of the exhibition. It’s pretty insane.”
Ahead of the event, she also admitted she had some rather unique preparations underway.
“Mentally preparing for the Met by practicing not ever sitting down or having to pee,” she said as she shared a smiling selfie.
Ah, it all makes sense now.
Paps might go wild on the Met Gala red carpet, capturing all the celebs on fashion's biggest night out, but some guests will be pained by the fact that they can't take their own photos, because selfies are strictly banned.
Anna Wintour issued the selfie ban back in 2015 in the hopes of keeping the inner workings of the Met Gala behind lock and key.
However, some rebellious few have flouted the rule over the years, as there's always one who sneaks a phone to the toilet for a cheeky bathroom selfie, which later pops up on social media.
There are certain foods that are banned from the event, and not for any real rhyme or reason other than the way they could pose a red carpet disaster.
Things like chives could be dangerous if they get stuck in anyone's teeth before photos. Onion and garlic are also banned in order to prevent bad breath, and other dishes which could easily spill onto dresses.
Wintour has addressed the rumours that the likes of onion, chives and garlic are banned from the event, telling Today host Jenna Bush Hager in 2024: "Well, those are three things I'm not particularly fond of, and so yes, that's true."
If you're stuck next to your arch-nemesis at the Met Gala, tough. Because you aren't allowed to move seats.
Seating arrangements are strictly maintained, with a lot of 'power-brokering' in the planning beforehand.
"A lot of thought goes into who sits next to who, if they sat together last year, if they've sat next to each other at other events, so much goes into it, it's shocking," Sylvana Ward Durrett, former director of special projects at Vogue, said in the 2016 documentary The First Monday in May.
No smoking is allowed at the glitzy fashion event, a rule which was reportedly recirculated after the likes of Bella Hadid, Dakota Johnson, and Marc Jacobs were pictured smoking in the bathrooms in 2017.
Met Gala guests the following year were reminded that it's 'illegal to smoke in the museum'.
It should be noted that smoking indoors in New York City has been banned since 2003, and prior invitations to the event have reiterated this.
If you're under 18, you can kiss your chance of getting into the Met Gala goodbye.
This rule was implemented in 2018, with that year's theme being 'Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination'.
A Met Gala spokesperson later confirmed the age restriction was introduced as 'it's not an appropriate event for people under 18'.