More than five years after ending their engagement, Olivia Wilde says she and Jason Sudeikis have finally found something that works: friendship. In a new interview with The Cut, the actress and filmmaker reflected on her relationship with the Ted Lasso star, revealing that while their romantic chapter came to an end, they have built a strong co-parenting partnership for their two children, Otis and Daisy. According to Wilde, one simple truth helped them reach that place.
“We’re very, very, very different people,” she said, adding that they are “much better as friends and co-parents.”
The former couple began dating in 2011 and got engaged two years later. Over the course of their nearly decade-long relationship, they welcomed two children and became one of Hollywood’s most admired couples. When they announced their split in 2020, many fans were shocked, particularly because they had often appeared happy and united in public.
However, Wilde has previously suggested that relationships don’t always end because of one dramatic event. Sometimes people simply grow apart.
Speaking recently on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she explained that one of the hardest realizations in a long-term relationship is discovering that you’ve stopped being curious about each other.
“You can get to a place where you stop engaging in the knowing of each other,” she said, describing the moment she realized their relationship had run its course.
For Wilde, that realization became one of the inspirations behind her latest film, The Invite, which explores modern relationships and emotional connection.
The road to peaceful co-parenting wasn’t always smooth. Following their breakup, the former couple found themselves at the center of headlines, including the widely publicized moment when Wilde was served custody documents while presenting at CinemaCon in 2022.
But years later, things appear to be in a much healthier place.
Wilde revealed that she and Sudeikis maintain a flexible parenting arrangement and regularly adjust schedules based on what’s best for their children. One recent example involved their daughter Daisy attending a soccer match with her father, where she ended up sitting alongside filmmaker Spike Lee and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Rather than feeling upset about missing the moment, Wilde said she was thrilled.
“F— yeah!” she recalled thinking after seeing a photo from the outing.
It’s a small story, but it highlights how far the former couple has come. Instead of focusing on past disagreements, they appear focused on creating positive experiences for their children.
Hollywood breakups often become defined by public drama. Wilde and Sudeikis certainly had their share of difficult moments, but their latest comments suggest they’ve managed to move beyond them.
Sometimes the healthiest ending isn’t finding a way to stay together. Sometimes it’s recognizing that a relationship works better in a different form.
For Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis, that form seems to be friendship.