Olivia Wilde Shares Insights Gained from BDSM Community at Sundance Film Festival
After collaborating with filmmaker Gregg Araki and co-writer Karley Sciortino, actress Olivia Wilde expressed a newfound respect for BDSM culture. This revelation occurred during the world premiere of I Want Your Sex at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday.
Wilde praised Sciortino for introducing her to dominatrix friends, which helped her prepare for her role as Erika Tracy, an artist who engages her assistant, Elliot (Cooper Hoffman), as a sexual submissive. "Karley was instrumental because this spec script was hers, and she developed this movie with Gregg," Wilde noted. "She gave me so much insight into the dom community. She connected me to some amazing people who brought me into that world and allowed me to have such an education."
Wilde described the experience as "an anthropological journey of learning." She emphasized the joy and valuable insights gained through the filmmaking process. "We laughed so hard making this, and yet, I walked away from it feeling like I really learned something valuable," she added.
Sciortino, known for her work as a sexual expert on Slutever, revealed that she and Araki had been developing the script for over a decade. Initially, the narrative centered around a relationship involving an older man and a younger woman. Reflecting on their creative evolution, Sciortino stated, "In a post-Me Too world, it might be more interesting and transgressive to explore an older woman and a younger man, and what does that sexual relationship look like?"
She further commented on the film’s appeal, suggesting that those with a taste for adventure and chaotic sexual experiences might find resonance in the story. "I feel like anyone who’s ever made a really chaotic sexual choice, and it turned out for the better, will like this movie," Sciortino remarked.
