Most people wait months to introduce whomever they’re dating to friends and family, expertly delaying the inevitable echo chamber of unsolicited opinions. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce do not have that luxury, as everyone (including inanimate objects like the Empire State Building) has chimed in on whatever is going on between them romantically.

This week, the NFL issued a statement, Rachel Zegler defended Swift, and a former White House staffer said Swift is “the only person who can” beat Donald Trump in a presidential election. (Sorry, Taylor can’t come the White House phone right now. Why? Because she’s already the de facto President Of Chiefs Kingdom.) Olivia Wilde has joined the chat — acknowledging Swift’s unparalleled influence as our climate’s last hope.

On Thursday night, October 5, Wilde took to her Instagram Story to re-share an X (formerly known as Twitter) post from the Dutch actor Katja Herbers reading, “I wish Taylor Swift was in love with a climate scientist.”

@oliviawilde on Instagram

Before we get to the irony of Wilde’s repost, it should be noted that Herbers’ take on the situation didn’t end there. “All Swifties hurriedly googling ‘climate emergency,’ she wrote on X, followed by, “Taylor would join her scientist at an end fossil fuels rally and the world would be saved.”

Now, back to Wilde: People online are giving the actor and director the side-eye because her most recent ex (or, at least the most recent person the public was aware Wilde dated) is Harry Styles, who famously is not a climate scientist — though he does often dabble in activism waters and make the world better in other ways. Not to mention, Styles briefly dated Swift a decade ago.

“I get it but like also…who is Olivia Wilde to say sh*t,” one person named Jennifer posted on X. “I don’t remember Harry Styles restoring the ozone when they were dating.”

“The stupidest thing @oliviawilde could do after breaking up with Harry Styles is daring to mention Taylor Swift,” reads another post from a user named Myla. (Styles and Wilde split late last year.)

Separately, Jessica Barrera pointed out the hit Wilde’s reputation took around the controversial rollout of Don’t Worry Darling, the September 2022 film she directed and in which Styles co-starred alongside Florence Pugh. Wilde was alleged to have not been, erm, the most supportive presence for Pugh, as reports surfaced that the two had “a screaming match” while filming, and Wilde believed Pugh was “f*cking Harry,” according to the ex-nanny of Wilde and Jason Sudeikis. (Sudeikis and Wilde denied all of the nanny’s claims.)

Swift is used to her love life — or any aspect of her existence — being placed under the microscope and dissected by millions of strangers, but the point is that she shouldn’t have to get used to that. Moral of the story: Can we please let women date whomever they please without placing the expectations of the (literal) world on their shoulders?

For now, the NFL will continue to leverage every ounce of Swiftian power to its advantage.

Posted in: Pop
127