Who Are Olivia Wilde's Parents? They Are Both Respected Journalists

When people think of Olivia Wilde, her body of impressive work speaks for itself. The actress has been active in the Hollywood industry since the early 2000s with a long list of interesting movies under her belt. Some of those movies include Tron: Legacy, In Time, and The Change-Up.

Olivia is also a film director. Her comedy Booksmart was an impressive debut, and she turned heads for multiple reasons with her next feature, Don’t Worry Darling, which stars Harry Styles (whom she famously began dating while making the film). Who exactly are Olivia‘s parents? Here’s an inside look at the two people who created her.

Olivia isn’t the only member of her family who appreciates the arts. Both of her parents know a thing or two about the entertainment industry. Her father, Andrew Cockburn, is well-known in Britain as a journalist. Her mother, Leslie Cockburn, has also made a living as a journalist over the years.

On top of that, Leslie is a former producer on 60 Minutes. Other projects she’s worked on have been featured on PBS Frontline, CBS, and NBC. Olivia's parents raised her in Washington D.C. and ensured that she had dual citizenship in both America and Ireland.

It's also been reported that her parents had friendships with famous individuals who would visit Olivia's childhood home. Two of those well-known stars are Steven Spielberg and Mick Jagger. When Olivia reached her teenage years, her parents sent her to boarding school in Massachusetts where she could focus on her studies.

It was there that she decided to ditch her family‘s last name of Cockburn and change it to Wilde. Before landing her role in the Tron franchise, Olivia would have minor roles in several TV shows, movies, and even music videos — including a two-year run on The O.C. and an appearance in a Will.i.am music video.

Harry and Olivia started dating when she first cast him in her movie. That same month, the world found out she was divorcing Jason Sudeikis, and rumors started spreading like wildfire. Olivia and Harry were spotted holding hands in January 2021.

At that point, they were comfortable letting the world know about their budding romance. According to Us Weekly, Olivia's parents were totally supportive of the relationship. A source said at the time, “They seem to be big fans of his, just like Olivia. It’s very obvious they’re supportive and adore him.”

While things didn't ultimately work out between Olivia and Harry, it's nice to know she has her parents in her corner!

Olivia has two siblings. Her younger brother is named Charlie Philip Cockburn and her older sister is named Chloe Francis Cockburn. Since both of Olivia's siblings prefer to stay out of the spotlight, there’s not much information about them known to the public.