Olivia Wilde is at Sundance with two films in tow, but like many others this weekend, she’s concerned about the shocking news that 37-year-old nurse Alex Preti was killed by ICE in Minnesota on Saturday morning.
Wilde spoke emotionally about what’s going on in this country on the red carpet for the Seth Rogen comedy The Invite, which he directed. “We’re all here to celebrate something really beautiful and hopeful in cinematic storytelling,” she said. “But now the world is hurting, and this country is hurting. And it’s scary.”
“I’m shocked and nauseous,” Wilde continued on the carpet. “We can’t just accept this as the new normal and live another day. It’s outrageous. People are being murdered. And I don’t want to normalize seeing people murdered on the internet. On film. It’s horrible. So if there’s anything we can do here to support the movement to deport ICE and outlaw this incredible criminal organization, that’s what we need to do.”
Wilde, who was also at the festival to promote her role in Gregg Araki’s “I Want Your Sex,” said she was moved to see so many people protesting the government’s deployment of ICE.
“I think so many Americans are (speaking out). I mean, you see marches happening all over the country. Americans are speaking out in huge numbers. It’s dangerous to be in a protest right now, but people are still out in the streets. That’s incredibly encouraging.”
Earlier Saturday, Natalie Portman wore a pin that read “ICE Out” and “Be Good” as she talked about her film “The Gallerist” at Variety Studios. “This is a really fun community that celebrates film, and we’re so excited to be showing ‘The Gallerist,’ but we’re also at a very devastating moment in our country’s history,” Portman said. “It’s really impossible not to talk about what’s going on right now, the brutality of ICE, and how it must be stopped immediately. But at the same time, there’s also the beautiful community that Americans are showing right now. They’re showing up for each other, protecting each other, fighting for freedom. It’s a bittersweet moment to celebrate something that we’re so proud of against the backdrop of our country suffering in pain.”
