Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh’s stylists are wading into the Don’t Worry Darling drama

Olivia Wilde’s stylist appears to have waded into the drama surrounding her director client and actor Florence Pugh.

Don’t Worry Darling premiered out of Venice Film Festival last night (5 September), receiving mixed reviews from critics.

The psychological thriller has been plagued by reports of behind-the-scenes tension, including a rumoured “falling out” between Wilde and Pugh, who plays the film’s lead.

Karla Welch, a Los Angeles-based stylist who frequently works with Wilde, has now shared a story on Instagram that appears to be a reference to the speculation.

“There’s always more to the story…” the stylist wrote, at the same time that reporting on the rumoured feud was escalating after Wilde addressed “gossip” during a press conference for the film, which Pugh was not present for.

The post was followed by other photos of Wilde at the festival, including one in which Welch is helping to style her yellow gown on the red carpet.

Welch’s post came around the same time that Florence Pugh’s stylist, Rebecca Corbin-Murray, referred to her client as “Miss Flo”, in an Instagram post that appeared to take a swipe at Wilde.

One of the strongest indicators of a falling out between Wilde and Pugh came when Shia LaBeouf, who was originally cast in Harry Styles’s role, disputed Wilde’s claims that she had fired him.

He also shared a video he says he received from Wilde, which shows her asking him not to quit the project.

Appearing to hint at friction with Pugh, Wilde says in the clip: “I think this might be a bit of a wake-up call for Miss Flo”, raising eyebrows among many who detected a condescending tone in her remark.

Wilde has previously said that the feud is nothing but “invented clickbait”. Meanwhile, Pugh has not commented on or refuted the rumours.

When asked about the speculation of a “falling out” at the Don’t Worry Darling press conference on Monday (5 September), Wilde said: “I can’t say enough how honoured I am to have her as our lead.

“She’s amazing in the film and as for all the endless tabloid gossip and all the noise out there, I mean, the internet feeds itself. I don’t feel the need to contribute, I think it’s sufficiently well nourished.”

Pugh appeared to hint at the discord when asked by a journalist what she found “inspiring” in the film.

“I think it’s very very inspiring to see a woman push back and say ‘no’, and question everything” she said during her red carpet appearance. “It’s very exciting to see a woman do that on and off camera.”

Early reviews of Don’t Worry Darling have seen critics left unenthused by the film, with Pugh’s performance nonetheless singled out for praise. Other critics have also heaped criticism on Styles’s performance.

You can read The Independent’s three-star review here, in which Geoffrey Macnab describes the film as “a messy, convoluted affair with some very contrived plotting” and Styles’s performance as “surprisingly dull and low-wattage”.

You can also read a full timeline of all the behind-the-scenes drama from Don’t Worry Darling here.

Don’t Worry Darling is released in cinemas on Friday 23 September.