Olivia Wilde Slams ICE at Sundance and Says ‘People Are Being Murdered’

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Olivia Wilde is using her presence at the Sundance Film Festival to speak out about the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse who was killed by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday. The tragic event has brought a sense of sadness to the film festival in Park City.

At the premiere of her new film, The Invite, director and star Olivia Wilde spoke about the difficult times the country is facing. While acknowledging the joy of celebrating a positive story in film, she expressed her distress over the current state of the nation, calling it ‘appalling’ and noting that ‘the world is hurting right now.’

Wilde appeared deeply upset while describing the situation involving ICE and Border Patrol. She expressed her horror, saying, “I’m shocked and disgusted. We can’t continue to accept this as normal. It’s unacceptable that people are being killed, and I don’t want to get used to seeing that violence online, on video. It’s truly awful.”

The filmmaker encouraged people to take action and challenge the current system of federal immigration enforcement. She stated that supporting efforts to remove ICE and discredit what she called a “criminal organization” is crucial. Wilde also expressed hope seeing the recent nationwide protests, despite the sadness surrounding the issue.

Wilde observed that many Americans are actively voicing their opinions, pointing to the widespread protests happening across the nation. Despite the risks involved, people are continuing to demonstrate, which she found incredibly inspiring. Natalie Portman and other festival attendees shared similar views.

At the Sundance premiere of her film, Olivia Wilde wore a pin that read “ICE OUT” as a statement about the current state of the country. She expressed her distress and anger at the ongoing violence, stating that it’s unacceptable to become accustomed to such tragedies. She emphasized that people are being killed and she refuses to accept this as normal.

— Variety (@Variety) January 25, 2026

I was at Sundance and ran into Natalie Portman, who’s here with her new film, The Gallerist. I noticed she was wearing these pins – one said ‘ICE Out’ and the other ‘Be Good’. She spoke with Variety and basically said it’s impossible to ignore everything happening with ICE right now and how awful it is – she feels it needs to stop, like, immediately. It’s tough, she said, trying to celebrate a project you’re proud of when the country is hurting so much. It just felt… complicated, you know?

Olivia Wilde had a busy start to 2026 at the Sundance Film Festival, showcasing her work in two films: The Invite and Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex. She both directed and starred in The Invite, playing opposite Seth Rogen in a story about a dinner party with Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz that goes awry. In I Want Your Sex, she portrays a daring artist who guides a younger protégé, played by Cooper Hoffman.

In addition to submitting films to festivals, Wilde is currently filming the thriller Behemoth with director Tony Gilroy and alongside Pedro Pascal. She also recently appeared in an episode of the Apple TV+ comedy The Studio. Following the success of her films Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling, Wilde continues to direct and develop new projects through her production company.

The Sundance Film Festival is still underway until February 1st, but a somber mood hangs over the event following the death of Alex Pretti. Her passing has sparked conversations, impromptu protests, and expressions of support from people in the film industry throughout the weekend.

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2026-01-25 11:45