‘The Invite’ Star Olivia Wilde Could Make Oscar History as the First Woman To Direct Herself to an Acting Nomination

Awards season is heating up, and few contenders have generated as much buzz as Olivia Wilde’s ‘The Invite’. What began as a small, talky ensemble comedy turned into a major awards story after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24.

The film is Wilde’s third feature as a director, following her acclaimed 2019 debut ‘Booksmart’, which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, and ‘Don’t Worry Darling’. Written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, ‘The Invite’ stars Seth Rogen and Wilde as Joe and Angela, a married couple on thin ice who invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors, played by Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, to a dinner party that quickly spirals.

Now Wilde’s performance is putting her on the verge of history. According to Gold Derby‘s current predictions, she is expected to land in the Best Actress lineup, and if she does, she would become the first woman ever to direct herself to an Oscar acting nomination.

The milestone highlights just how rare this feat has been for women. Throughout the Academy’s nearly 100-year history, Gold Derby counts 15 male actors who have directed themselves to Oscar nominations, with several going on to win.

AwardsWatch tallies 20 such nominations overall, pointing to names like Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper. No woman has ever made the list.

Gold Derby’s data gives Wilde a 79% chance of making the Best Actress cut. Behind her in its rankings are Inde Navarrette for ‘Obsession’, Sandra Hüller for ‘Fatherland’ and Renate Reinsve for ‘Fjord’.

Olivia Wilde could make Academy Award history as the first woman to direct herself to an acting nomination for her work on ‘THE INVITE.’ https://t.co/krG95NQg8y

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) October 4, 2026

There’s an even bigger milestone within reach. As fans quickly pointed out online, a nomination for both Best Director and Best Actress would make Wilde the first woman to land both, joining a tiny group of only 8 actor-directors who have pulled off that combination.

AwardsWatch notes that a Best Actress nod currently looks most likely, but the double isn’t out of the question. Some critics are already making the case for her direction, with In Session Film praising how she keeps the chamber piece from devolving into chaos while giving her co-stars room to breathe.

Gold Derby predicts ‘The Invite’ could receive 5 nominations in total: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor for Norton, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Critics have also singled out Rogen for what many consider his finest dramatic work.

Wilde’s commitment to the project is part of its appeal. The film was reportedly shot on 35mm over 23 days in chronological order, and Wilde is said to have funded the use of real film stock rather than digital.

First trailer for Olivia Wilde’s ‘THE INVITE’, starring Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton and Olivia Wilde. The film follows a couple on the verge of breaking up when their neighbors show up for dinner & make everything worse. In theaters in July. https://t.co/V9niH6bAGB

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 7, 2026

The movie also carries a personal tribute. At the end of ‘The Invite’, Wilde dedicates the film to Diane Keaton, who passed away last October, and in a tribute at the time, Wilde credited Keaton with encouraging her to direct.

AwardsWatch argues that Keaton’s influence shows throughout the film, especially in Wilde’s daring, vulnerable turn as Angela. The outlet called a potential nomination the cherry on top of an incredible comeback.

‘The Invite’ isn’t Wilde’s only project in the awards conversation. Her 2026 slate also includes ‘I Want Your Sex’ and Tony Gilroy’s ‘Behemoth!’, both of which have been mentioned in coverage of her Oscar year. At 42, Wilde seems to be entering the most acclaimed stretch of her career. If the predictions hold, she could close out the season with a place in Academy history.

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