Olivia Wilde’s birth name is Olivia Jane Cockburn; she adopted “Wilde” inspired by author Oscar Wilde.
She grew up in a family of journalists and writers, surrounded by prominent figures in politics and media.
Wilde deferred her admission to Bard College three times to pursue acting, later studying at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin.
She made her Broadway debut playing Julia in 1984.
As a child, she once got caught eavesdropping on a conversation between Mick Jagger and diplomat Richard Holbrooke