Olivia Wilde has faced a huge backlash after alleged "homophobic" comments she made in previous interviews resurfaced online.
The 37-year-old actress, who is dating former One Direction singer Harry Styles, has been slammed by the LGBTQIA+ community for suggesting that changing roles in her career to that of someone who was making a life-changing decision about sexuality.
The interviews which have caused a stir sees Olivia speaking about changing from being an actress to being a director.
Olivia said that it was like "coming out of the closet".
She further angered the LGBTQIA+ community by flippantly saying that before she met Jason Sudekis in 2011, she considered a "soft kind of lesbian relationship".
The actress ended her seven-year engagement to Jason last year, as her relationship with Harry came to light.
On Sunday night, Olivia was the subject of a social media outcry over her career move being compared to coming out to friends and family.
With Twitter users sharing their anger, one wrote: "I have always respected Olivia Wilde but when it comes down to this it’s terrible."
Another added: "Olivia Wilde. I am beyond disgusted.
"These hurtful words actually came out of your mouth. How dare you invalidate the LGBTQIA+ community like that.
"Comparing a change in jobs to coming out of the closet, how insensitive could you be?"
Meanwhile, another explained that their ire was not over Olivia dating Harry: "no one is cancelling Olivia Wilde because she's 'dating' harry so lets stop those comments before they even start, she's being 'cancelled" because she's invalidating the lgbtq+ community, NEXT."
Another angered Twitter user wrote: "I'm so upset. As a queer woman i never expected this from someone i have looked up to for years.
"I'm hurt and this kind of ‘nonchalant’ behaviour and language is deep rooted homophobia that people think is laughable when it isn't. do better Olivia Wilde."
The deep feeling about her words were summed up succinctly by this commenter: "Not Olivia Wilde comparing coming out with changing from a director to an actress
"Just invalidated all the suffering people like me, who are still in the closet, have to go through. [I don't care] if the interview is from a long time ago, it's still problematic and disgusting."
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