Olivia Wilde Details Constant Death Threats Over 'House' Character's Interracial Relationship With Omar Epps
Olivia Wilde has revealed the intense backlash she faced while playing Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley on the popular medical drama 'House.'
The 40-year-old recently shared in an interview with 'Variety' that during her time on the show, which ran on Fox for eight seasons, she received "insane death threats constantly coming into the studios" due to her character's interracial relationship with Dr. Eric Foreman, played by Omar Epps.
To ensure her safety, the studio increased security measures on set.
Wilde also recalled how fans reacted with hostility to her on-screen kiss with Epps, 51, during a 2009 episode of 'House.'
"We got a lot of hate mail for that," she said in 2011. "There are racist people out there. We got hate mail that said that someone wanted to cut off my lips and kill me. We had extra security on set for a while."
Wilde portrayed the bisexual doctor from 2007 to 2012, a role that was considered groundbreaking at the time. Reflecting on this, Wilde noted, "Seeing what's on television now, if you watch 'Euphoria,' the fact that my character was shocking and groundbreaking then, it's like, no, it's nothing." She made these comments while attending the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia.
The actress explained how public hate and criticism can take a toll on creatives in the entertainment industry. "The damage that does to an artist is profound, because you stop being as fearless. I think once you fear that you will be judged, you become self-conscious in a way that has never been good for any artist," Wilde said.
She added, "A director mentor recently said to me that directors have to decide at a certain point, do you want to be a celebrity or an artist? Because of social media, it's become even more combined."
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Before her role on 'House,' the 40-year-old appeared on 'The O.C.' as Alex Kelly, another bisexual character. Speaking about the public's reactions to both roles, she reflected, "At the time, that was seen as really extraordinary, and it shouldn't have been extraordinary. It should have been rather ordinary."
Wilde further expressed her belief that television could have pushed for more authentic portrayals, stating, "I never thought it should have made headlines that we had a same-sex relationship on a network show."
