Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - Olivia Wilde

Episode Date: July 8, 2026

We’re so excited to welcome the brilliant Olivia Wilde to the table this week! Olivia joined us on a whirlwind world tour to promo her new film, The Invite, which she both directed and stars in alongside Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton. Over a cheeseboard & jamón (iykyk), plus mum’s homemade apricot ice cream, we heard about Olivia growing up with journalist parents and their lively dinner parties, training to cook at Ballymaloe in Ireland, why she loves eating alone in restaurants, filming The Invite in sequence like a play and the unforgettable moment Penélope Cruz surprised her with an improvised kiss. Plus we hear the hilarious reason she grew up believing you had to stay completely silent around a soufflé! Thank you for such a lovely afternoon, Olivia - and huge congratulations on The Invite which is in cinemas now!Listen & watch Table Manners here - https://tablemanners.komi.io/Follow Table Manners on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tablemannerspodcast/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tablemannerspodcastFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/tablemannerspodcastYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TableMannersPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Tablematters. I'm Jessie Ware, and I'm a bit hungover, if I'm being honest. Good for you. I was being very abstemious because I felt if I didn't concentrate, England might have lost. Oh, okay. But I did have a large gin and tonnet after half die. Well, Sam says it's so funny, Jesse, because you really should be able to put it away like your mother. That's so rude. So you are a very lightweight drink. I know. It's not fun. How many glasses of wine? was it? Do you drink?

Oh, well, give them a shout out. I went to the victory on Lordship Lane in East Dulwich, if anyone's from South East London. It was the old Franklin's

and it's now called the Victory and it's this really great guy Jamie Younger who is involved with the Begging Bowl, somsar, colet. Anyway, the victory was delicious and he did encourage us all to have a martini.

There was one called Nelson's Blood. I know. I didn't go for that one, but it was delicious. I had a Gibson. and I think that's what maybe did it, but then also potentially having dessert wine on a Wednesday. Why were you drinking so much midweek?

England did one? No, that was not the reason. It was a balmy night. You were going to drink anyway, Jessie. Nothing to do with England, darling. Anyway, Sam said, I'm surprised you can't do it. You don't have the same jeans as your mother. And I don't.

And so I'm feeling a little ropy. And I think I may have to have a drink just to get through this hangover. Anyway, how are you? I'm okay. Okay, great. Yeah, fine. We've got a guest coming on today, which is Olivia Wilde, who we're so excited to have. But she's coming at a quite kind of odd time to cook.

So it's a really hot day. She's coming at three. Well, she's not coming at three because she's not here. She's not here. But I think she's been in a junket. So she's on her way. So we're probably going to be eating around 4.4.30, maybe. So it's a kind of odd time to eat.

It's picky bit. It's, picky bits. Yeah, picky tea. Do you think it's the British that a fonder of picky bits than anybody else in the universe? Everyone likes picky bits. We are a picky bit nation, I think. I've made, actually it was your recommendation. It's a Nigel Slater loaf.

It's got sundry tomato in it, basil, time, feta, parmesan, and kaffia and, like, self-raising flour. Is it nice? So it's kind of like a cake, a savory cake. I don't know if it's nice. I haven't cut through it, but I hope it is. So I'm doing that with some ham on because that's a nod to the new film that Olivia is coming on to talk to us about, the invite. So I've got lots of cured meats and I've got a cheese board. Delicious. Nice.

Yeah. Because I'm sure she has dinner. Yeah, I'm sure. And then what have you made for food? I've made apricot ice cream. Yum. I've got a friend Pepe. She's your friend, Carla's mom, who says she can't cook.

But she always has these clever little recipes. She made delicious apricot and amaretti ice cream. Yum. Which is just basically a jar of really good apricot preserve. Yeah. With 300 mills of cream whipped up and just mix it all together with some Amaretti biscuit crumbs. I promise you it's delicious. But isn't it?

So it's no churn? No churn. Will it like move well enough? Well, if we get it out in time, it will. Okay. So when she arrives, we'll take it out. Fab. Yeah.

So Olivia Wilde is coming on to talk about her new fantastic film. Wonderful. That she's directed, Dan Starden. It's called The Invite. It stars Olivia, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton. And it was really... You call him Edward? Yeah, apparently he doesn't like being called it.

Ooh. It is the most wonderful cast. It's such a fantastic cast. And it's such a great film. The script is unreal. The script is unreal. huge accolades already. It's going to win all the awards.

You think? Yeah. There's lots of... Isn't it a funny time to bring out a film that you want to... I don't know if she was going for it, but usually the films in the summer aren't the ones that are going for the Oscars. But they've always gone for the festivals. They've already been at the festivals.

Anyway, it's a fantastic film. It is... I think one of my favourite films I've seen in so long. Yeah. Just sharp. Funny. Clever. Heartbreaking.

It's all of it. Yeah. So yeah, Olivia's coming on to talk about this. We feel very excited to have her. Olivia Wilde coming up on Tablemanors. Olivia Wilde. Hi. Thank you for being here.

Oh my God. What a dream. Now, well, to start and to celebrate, my husband, Sam, has made a select spritz. I do think, Nate, hon, I'm just going to check it. That'll do pig. Right. That'll do pig. Cheers, Lechise.

Cheers. Cheers. To the success of the invite. It's unbelievable. It's believable. I don't think you need much help. It's wonderful. It's truly wonderful.

It's perfect. It's perfect. So is it? Yes, isn't it good? That's really good. So nice. What do you think? What does your publicist think?

What's delicious? Yes, I agree. It's delicious. So this is, I have to admit, I'm a slightly hung over, so I think this is just going to sort me out. Hair of the dog. How are you today? I'm so good. I feel so relieved.

Really? Yeah. Why so relief? Premiere last night. Because I think releasing a movie is always a nightmare because you just, this is the part you have no control over. It belongs to the audience now. Critics can be vicious. People can be bored.

People are busy. It's hard to get people into theaters. But we have been so lucky with this so far, where the kind of chemical equation of film plus audience. leads to something that is its own thing. And so far, it's been really lovely. And people have been having fun and we've been hearing people laughing in the theatre and there's nothing better than that. Didn't you do a couple's screening? We've done so many different types of screenings. We've had many, many, many couples in to see the film. I didn't watch it with my husband. However, I told him about it. Yes. And I told him about the premise and he

loved the idea. And then he said, and then he said, I can't imagine us doing that in a few years, babe. And I said, yes, I can't actually. Well, maybe he's got some, like, he's like, yeah, exactly. And he's like, we're all going on. But it was so funny because I guess this, it does provoke conversations with couples. Do you want to explain to people without maybe giving it right? Yeah. Okay. So essentially, it's about on the surface, what seems, like an unhappy couple and a happy couple colliding for one night to have a dinner party that goes kind of off the rails and leads to unforeseen conclusions for everyone. What it really is is a story about relationships that tries to figure out why they work or why they're not working and if it

potentially has something to do with how little we communicate particularly about sex. And it's based on a great Spanish film called The People Upstairs. Yeah. That was itself based on a play by the same writer-director. I read it all about it. Yeah. It felt to me like I was watching it. I can so imagine it on the stage.

Yeah. Me too. Yeah. Yeah. We think you should definitely come the same cast and do it on the stage as well. Would you be tempted to do you? Oh, something like that. Yeah.

Because I love kind of like Noel Coward, Comedy of Errors, like to do something like this on stage. It would be really interesting to think of what would need to. change about it. I think it would have to be adapted again. Yeah. Because we did so much work to adapt this version to something that would work with this cast, with the energy we wanted from the film. And it was truly the most fun I've ever had, even though it was the hardest I've ever worked.

Because, I mean, you're not only starring it. You're the director. So how... Insane. An insane thing to do. Truly unhinged. But you're good at it. Well, I think, yeah. I didn't want to star in it. I didn't want to be in it. And... Why not? Because I just wanted to nail the direction. So who would have been you? I had so many good ideas.

Okay, come on. Who are the ideas? I thought all these, I mean, everyone, all the brilliant actresses that I love. And the cast, Edward and Seth and Penelope kept saying, maybe, maybe, yeah, I could see it. And I was like, what's wrong? Why won't you guys? These are all great ideas. And they were like, because we think you should do it.

And I was so strong. because I just, it hadn't occurred to me. Really? Wow. I weirdly had like, I think imposter syndrome about acting in it, but for some reason not about directing. I don't know. I think at this point I feel like a much better director than actor.

I think you did a great job. But now, I think it was the most perfect cast. Oh, well, then it then it felt like so meant to be, but I, I've never felt that good acting before. So I was so happy I ended up jumping in. I was so terrified, but they were so supportive. I mean, it couldn't have been a tighter group. It is a masterclass in like all of it. Acting, reacting. Oh, I mean, it's the, and also shout out, it's Rashida Jones and who's the Will McCormick. I mean, the script is great. It's great. I mean, you've got like heavyweights delivering those lines, including yourself. But it is just punchy.

kind of unforgiving, beautiful, heartbreaking, all of it. But I mean, is Penelope Cruz the sexiest woman alive? There's a moment in the film where she improvised a kiss with me. How many times did you have to? I shoot that one, Olivia. I was like, oh, film hair on the gate, do it again. No, I was so shocked when she did it that I actually turned my head and look directly into the lens and then through my camera operator.

who he was like, Olivia. And I said, I said, namaste. For some reason, that's the only thing that came to my mind. Namaste. And everyone was like, what? And I was like, I don't know. My mind went blank. My mind went blank because I was so struck by this moment.

I was like, what? I lost control. I was so madly in love with her. But it was a lot about control, wasn't it? I mean, you're very buttoned up. You wear a collar and your hair's in a platter. You look kind of straight and buttoned up. Oh, and just rid of all the anxiety.

But she's also talking about control. Yes. And being in control. And what she enjoys is the control she has over her life and her sex life. Yes. And I was very struck by that. And when she turns on Edward Norton, I forgot what his name is in me. Hawk.

Hawke, of course. Oh, his name's Howard, isn't it? Howie. Howie. Howie. But when she turns on him because he corrects her English, and I just thought, oh, wow, so many times you want to correct so that when people correct you for doing things. And men do it more to women, I think, than women would ever do it to me. And that came from a very deep place within Penelope.

I'm sure it did. And she, you know, she was not only improvising along with us, she's doing it in her second language. And she oftentimes points out that, you know, she's like, look, I'm live translating everything you guys are saying. And she's very, very smart. And so she speaks probably several more languages. But she has dealt with people correcting her in her life. And I love that moment.

She has this moment where he corrects her and he says, she's saying, and she just turns and she goes, she's saying what? And I would like, I feel like every woman, the feeling of like, you tell me, tell me what I'm. say. Yeah, mansplaining. Exactly. And I, you know, the, the cool thing about this movie is we shot it like a play, we shot it in order. Yeah. And because of that, there was such organic kind of, um, development of character that led people to these different places. And she knew at that point that

she would be just at the brink of losing it over being corrected that many times. Was that your choice to shoot it like that? Yes. That was the dream. Is that quite, on you, to be allowed to do that then? Yes. Okay. Well, it's usually impossible because you're moving around to different location, so it's logistically a nightmare and actor availability, all of the reasons. But it had always been my fantasy because since I started acting, I was like, this is

really hard doing this out of order because I trained in theater and then I was like, movies are hard mostly because we are jumping around thinking like, how will I feel now if I imagine I've already done that? And it's like a Rubik's Cube. And so I thought, if I get to direct, I would like to shoot something in order. And it's usually too complicated. This time when I read Rashida and Will's brilliant script, I thought, this is an opportunity because it's one location to do the thing I've always wanted to do, make it like a play.

Rehearse, which we never get to do. And then shoot in order and workshop the script with the cast and the writers and make it feel very specific to everyone's ideas and and instincts. I'm so in awe of all of you. Yeah. The performances are... They are so good. I mean, they are so funny.

Like, I was the one trying not to break the whole time, which is very unprofessional as the director. I was just constantly like, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Like, every time Edward would speak Spanish, it really made me laugh. And then Seth is just constantly making me laugh. Is he good fun?

He's the best. Yeah. But you also had a really good time on the studio together. Yes. That is a, I mean, that story was fantastic too. Yes. Had you already done the invite by that point? No.

We, we, he asked me to come on the studio. And I thought, what a brilliant idea that you're kind of sending up this ridiculous industry, but doing it with a lot of love for movies. Yeah. And I love Seth. And I said, absolutely, I'll do it. And I also loved the opportunity to make fun of myself. Like, what a gift. What a gift to be able to go on and just make fun of yourself and everything.

And then when I was opposite him acting in the scene, it occurred to me he has to play Joe in the invite. He has to. In fact, there's no one else. And I refused to accept anything but this. And I wasn't supposed to obviously at that point be in the invite, but I knew he was Joe and I could suddenly see the movie around Seth. And so I begged him to come and do it. And he was very gracious. He was very supportive from the beginning.

I will say he and Edward are two real like male allies in Hollywood, which is rare still. I think there's a lot of great men working and they're generally just wonderful and they work for women, they work for men, they're great. But the thing that separates these two, I think, is that they go out of their way to really stand up for the women they work with and to, fight for their voices to be taken seriously. And I saw it to such an extent that I really understood how rare and how special it was. I mean, I guess it can't always be as perfect as this. No, I have to retire. I'm done.

I really feel that way. Because you'll never be able to top it. Well, we should talk about food a little bit. Yes, we can keep on talking about the invite. Yes, because I want to. And cheese soufflis. Yeah. Have you got the recipe for that?

It's so funny because the joy of cooking is open in the opening credits because that was me trying to figure out what she would actually need for a souffle, which I picked because I thought that's the most risky thing in my non-chef mind. That would seem like a risky thing for a party if you are not a very good cook. And you've never met the people and you're quite stressed. And you're very stressed.

So risky. I've never done a souffle. And she ruins it immediately. Like within moments, within moments of the movie beginning, it's ruined. But let's talk about you. Growing up in D.C.? Yes, first in New York. Yeah.

How long until? Five. Okay. Move to D.C. at five and then in Georgetown. Why, D.C.? Because your father was working there or your mother. Both my parents are journalists. And, you know, they kind of worked all around the world.

So they could probably been anywhere. But I think D.C. was probably more affordable to New York and a good place for kids. It's a very green city. And I think actually it reminded them of London. They met in London. and they I think there's a kinship

between those two cities So who was around the dinner table and what were you eating? Okay My parents had dinner parties all the time And I think about it now Because I'm not very good

at hosting dinner parties And I think I'm robbing my children Of the experience that I was given And I have to correct it Because I loved The constant kind of murmur of people coming for dinner, sitting around the big long table like this, and my mom would make

salmon. She had her thing. She would do a salmon and potatoes and a salad. And it was good. She executed it. She did it. She nailed it. My dad would do a lot of cooking on kind of other nights, like, just for us all the time. And it was like, Shepherds pie, roast chicken. He's Irish. So it was also like, boiled bacon and cabbage. Which having like American kids over for dinner and they're like, I'm sorry, what are we eating? What is this? And it's like, this is a very, very salty dish. It's very good.

We love it. And they're like, what is this strange dish? Have you tried it on your kids? No, my kids have this really honestly pathetic palate. Oh, mate. I think ours are a similar age. If it isn't beige, they don't want it. It's so irritating.

I know. I'm like, come on. Your daughter isn't like that. My daughter's good. She's not nearly 10 and she's decent. She'll eat muscles. But the... No, she's all right.

The boys are crap. Do you know, I just took... So my kids are nine and 12. And I just took Otis, who's 12, to Tokyo for a week. We went together as a just kind of trip together, which was a dream. And I was shocked because we went and took a sushi making lesson and he ate the sushi. And do you like it? I don't think so.

But I have never been more shocked in my life than seeing that child pick up sashimi, and a big piece of sushi and eat it. I was like, what? What? I mean, I couldn't believe it. And it was because he typically eats pizza with no sauce. I'm pizza with no sauce. And he'll eat like a lot of salami.

So he likes a pizza, pizza dough. Yes. But what does he have on it? But he won't eat pasta. He won't eat bread. Oh, Christ. He just wants. Sashimi.

That one time and one time only. Where are you going to take him next? I don't know. Italy? For a bit of it. Yeah, it's so funny because my daughter who's nine, she has, she loves pasta. She's like me. She wants like a nice big Italian meal, but it is still limited to shades of beige. Are they with you on this trip? They're not on this trip. But they will come soon because I'll be in London for a while. And they, it's funny because them, for them like cuisine in England, they're like, Nandoes. Oh, they're like Nando's. They just want chicken. I mean, Nando's is great. It's great.

Did they not have Nando's in the States? Don't they have it in D.C.? Oh, really? I swear it's the only place in America. It's possible because such an international city. I mean, I left there at 13th, so I don't. Okay. I want to know.

Where did you go next to? I went to boarding school. Where? In Massachusetts, right outside Boston. And I went there for four years and then I moved to L.A. Did you enjoy it? I did. It was very weird for me because I was such a city kid.

Like, I really enjoyed my. kind of city haunts and that was why they were like you're you're going to boarding school right what were you were you naughty I was I thought it was naughty now I look back and I'm like it was very tame it was very tame I just didn't really understand kind of curfews rules boundaries it was probably going to get worse so they they said you're going to they're like you're going and I'm glad I went because it had this extraordinary theater program and I just did like 12 plays a year acting. Yeah, acting. And it was a great school and I was really lucky to be there. But boarding school is, I mean, I guess it's more normal here. For the posh people, yeah. Yeah, yeah, it's a posh thing. It's a posh thing. And this was definitely a posh school. It's very preppy and sporty.

Did you go to university after that? No, I got into school and then I said, I'll take a year off and it's still, it's been like 23 years. Okay. Before, yeah. I would love to go now. I think college is wasted on the young. I agree. I would love to go now. Imagine just sitting around. At the time I thought I'd study theater, now I don't think so. Now I'd like to study like neuroscience.

Oh, wow. But you'd have to probably learn a lot of math, which wouldn't be possible for me, because I've never been able to. I can't either. You can. Anyone can do it if you know. I don't understand what they're talking about. The same.

It's like it's ancient Greek. And your children have to do it and I cannot help them. the amount of times I've... The arguments. The arguments. I've been a correcting homework being like, now that's not... That can't be right.

And then looking on my phone, pretending to be thinking. Let me just think about this very basic, easy equation. And then my son has the kind of brain where he can just see... He sees it and he knows the answer. He just has that. Wait to do physics.

Nope. That's going to be a challenge. It won't happen. You kind of went to the school of house, though, didn't you? Yes, I got to pretend to be a... doctor. Yeah, I was because I thought you were so clever. Yeah, no,

it was all fake because I got to learn the lines. No, but I thought she was a neuroscientist. Oh, right, yeah. Well, that was the narration. Was he good fun to work with? He's so fun. He's so attractive. I hate to say it. I hate to say it. I don't want to objectify him, but I think he's gorgeous. We also love his brains, but

let's be honest. Is he bright and funny and clever? He's not only a brilliant actor, but he's a musician. He's a novelist. He like rides a motorcycle. Of course. He's cool. Of course he does. Yeah. Yeah. House. He was always so rude to you in house. I know. And yet couldn't have been more gentle and sweet. And I loved it. I loved being on that show. It was so much fun because I grew up watching ER. I was obsessed with ER. Yeah. Me too. Okay. Should I get some food on the thing? Yeah, please. Why have I had all of mine?

You need another one. She needs to lubricate the vocal cords. Jesse, what's in the My intro. It's a little notch, Lara, olive. Jessie, she needs another one, darling. Yeah, of course she would. I would, too. I would, too. I'll eat my olive first.

Yeah, it's just, yeah, and I'll now replenish. Okay, I have, what we are having is picky bits. It's picky bits because I didn't know whether you had dinner plans and all of that. So it's like, but I did put a bit of hamon in there because I felt like it was only right. We must have hamon. And it is hamon. Real hamon. Real hamon.

Unlike the prosciutto we had in the movie. Exactly. And so I'll just get that. I'll make some more drinks. And you can ask Olivia about her last supper. Okay. So, no, who was cooking for you when you were at home? Did your mum cook anything?

Or was it, Dad's Shepherd's Pie? She cooked, but my dad was probably more of the chef. I think. Okay. And, but you know what? She was really great about bringing healthy food. Before it was trendy. Like, I remember growing up with so much salad.

And people would come over to my house And they would say, wow, at your house You just have like green leafy salad all the time Which I think a lot of people in the States A salad is sort of just another way of having like Saying like a bowl of food And so it would be a lot of like Cheese and fruit and things

And she was so good at making like the most perfect salads And vegetables and she would I remember in Ireland when we were little She would go and get olive oil from the pharmacy Because you couldn't get it at the story No, you couldn't. So she would get lots of little tiny vials. They were only small.

They came like medical supplies. Yeah. And make vinaigret. What was the food like at boarding school? You know what? I think we were pretty well. We were spoiled in that there were a lot of options. It's not like we were like given slop and told to eat it.

We were definitely given options. But I think there's something about unleashing 13-year-olds on a dining hall. and then just telling them like, make sure to eat a balanced diet and be healthy. And I just remember kind of fending for myself and probably eating way too much shit. When you left boarding school, you went to live in L.A.

I did. Presumably on your own. I did, yeah. So you were flat sharing. Yeah. And actually, I lived in someone's little guest house and I was a casting assistant and I would take buses to work,

which in L.A. Well, how did you find it? Hours of commute, hours of commute waiting in the swellter. I would arrive at work so sweaty. I remember my boss just been like, Olivia, what has, what's happening? And I was like, I don't know why everyone else isn't sweaty. Why is everyone else fine? But then I finally did get myself a car.

And then I started auditioning and I really kind of put roots in LA, but then I moved back to New York for a bunch of my 20s and 30s. I had my kids in New York. Where did you learn to cook? I went to the Ballymalu cooking school in Ireland. Ballymila. Oh my God. How did you do the course for?

I just did one summer. Jesse, we need to go. Yeah. Summer? How long is the summer? It was like several weeks long. Wow. Oh, wow.

I was thinking of a week long. It is the best and most beautiful place. And Doreena Allen, who runs it, of course, and she now her kids, I think, are like taking over the empire. But it was so funny because I think I was the only person. I mean, I was really young. I was like 14. And everyone else was like probably in their like 50s.

Oh my God. And you were there learning to cook. And I remember we learned like Kish. I remember really studying Kish. And there were a lot of pastries. And I remember her thing was really like butter and cream and more butter and more cream. It was delicious. It was so beautiful.

And you'd cook from the garden, everything there is fresh. And she was really revolutionary within the kind of world of Irish cooking. People used to equate Ireland, thank you, with pretty terrible food, even though there's so much fresh fish and vegetables. And then she changed the game. Okay, it's really not us really showcased. It's a lot of cooking still. No, it is.

Look at all that cheese. There's a lot of cheese base, I hope you like cheese. I love cheese. Okay, so what we have here is, you know, cheeseboard with some ham on because we are thinking about Penelope Cruz and the invite. And then this is a Nigel Slater, like savory loaf, which is it's got kaffir in it. So it's good for your gut, Olivia. Feta, sundried tomatoes, basil, thyme. I don't know if it's any good, fingers crossed.

But if not. And then I've done, have you seen these things on TikTok, these like viral dippy. oil things. Yes, yes, yes, yes. And I've never done them and I thought, oh well, I'll just do that. So that's a dippy thing. Do you know what I mean? So there we go. We've got everything. So please help yourself. Because I think that I just, should I just put a bit on? Okay, is there anything you don't like? No, I want it. I feel fine. Whilst mum and me cut things up, last supper. Yes. Start a main pudd, drink of choice.

Okay. I love this question because it is actually my my favorite question to ask at dinner parties when I feel like people are really struggling to connect. And I feel it is something that everyone, really if they think about it, they have an answer. But you say it in a nice way last supper, I always say, execution meal. We used to say that, but then people got offended.

It's very offensive. Darling, do you want some? Yes, please. Which is the hand on? This one. I would love that. No, it was this one. But just like anything.

Okay, here's what I was thinking. It's a little bit disgusting because in this fantasy meal, if I'm imagining it to be my last, I'm going to mix cuisines. Yeah, that's fine. And you would never do this, but I was thinking, I would like to start with like a nice, like refreshing, like hamachi crudo, you know,

something with a little like something, like a little jalapeno, a citrusy, something. Love that. And then I would, do a weird, sharp turn and do a gazpacho. I love a gazpacho. I don't.

So you need to explain to me where I need to go to get a good gazpacho. I think Penel de Cruz's her house in Spain. I've never been, but I want to imagine that we've been there. Is she not your new best friend? She is my best friend. I wonder if I'm her best friend. No, I think she's told me many times to come to Madrid and to stay with her and Javier. And it's simply too good for me to experience.

Of course, I've forgotten it's Javier Baddard. I know. Oh, God. Do you know the most attractive couple in the world? Gorgeous. So they, do you know how they met on Haman, Hamon, a film, a Pedro. A Moldovar film that they made, and she was really young, like, 17. Okay.

And I think it was her first film. Right. And he was, like, a little bit older. Yeah. And obviously had the hots for her, but it didn't happen then. Right. Yeah. But obviously, they crushed.

on each other and then not until Vicky Christina Barcelona Oh wow so how long ago after that was that? A while? Yeah. It's got to be, you know, 50, yeah. In that one, right?

That's many years later. Again, math, not my thing. But many, many years later, they meet again, I mean, they knew of each other that the two most famous people in Spain. I'm sure they saw each other around, but they worked together again. And she said within a week

it was love. And I love them. I love them and I love their kids and they are the most like aspirational couple. You just want to have what they have. I've been very conservative with the cheese so you can have lots more. This is great.

Okay, so we've got this crudo, Hamachi. Oh, do you want an artichet? Yes, please. Sorry, it may need a little... Help. Little something. I own. So Hamachi crudo, Gazpacho.

Okay, I know already it's like, what is wrong with you? But fine. Imagine. It's refreshing. Yeah. I like it. But then the next one, the main is an emotional choice. Okay.

So my grandmother, my dad's mother, made this roast chicken that was the most delicious thing. Any of us had ever eaten, and we've all tried to learn to recreate it. It's impossible. There's something about it. I don't know. My dad and I were just talking about it. like why is it so good? And she would do

rose chicken bread sauce. Mmm. Mmm. Which I really like. It's delicious. I love it. It was so oniony

with like big peppercorns and stuffing. Which isn't an American well I mean she's Irish right so. But do you have stuffing in America? Do they? Only on Thanksgiving. Okay.

We have it every Sunday if we could. I would eat it by the like bath. bathtub load. Yeah, and dripping in the bread sauce. I feel like, sadly, bread sauce is restricted, really, to I'll do it for you next week. Christmas Day for us now. Yeah, it's kind of an indulgent thing, right? You don't just have a bread sauce all the time. They're not like giving that in the pubs, do you know what I mean? This is so good. Oh, it's picky. I love this bread, Jesse. Okay, good. It's amazing. I'm adding this to my last meal. Darling, this is amazing.

Oh, this is me. Yeah, but it's Nigel Slater. It's not me. It's delicious. I think I probably, I was worried it wasn't cooked properly. the middle. I think it probably could have come out about two minutes early. No. It's a good recipe, but you made it. That was the script and this is the movie and you made it. Oh, thanks Olivia a while. Jesus. So, okay, we've got the main, we've got your grandma's rose chicken. And then. Are you a sweet tooth? I love chocolate pudding. What is that? What is that? Oh, chocolate moose. Okay, can I tell you where you need to go whilst you're here? Yes, please. Oh, yeah. For a bait chocolate moose.

Mm-hmm. Café Clermont. Okay. It's St. Clement. Why am I saying Clamom? But then I say St. Clement. Whatever. Cafe Clement. Nick Jones's new place. Oh, yes.

Oh, yes. I read about it. The baked chocolate moose there, babe. Oh, yeah, I'm going. The two people is freaking... It's... Depending on... How you feel.

Please go and eat that. Is it like... You know in Paris when they give you the big glass bowl? Well, it's not because it's baked, so it's slightly like a souffle, but also like a moose. So it satisfies both things. I really... I like it when it's really... whipped and a

light. Olivia, can you make a souffle? No. Oh, Olivia. I know. I would like to learn. It's dead easy. Is it?

Is it true? You've got to be brave. Make lots of noise. Is that a wife's tale that you can't yell around it? What? I've never heard that. No.

This is obviously a lie my mother told me so that we would shut up. It was that if you were, now I say it out loud, it sounds insane. that if you make lots of noise, it'll fall. Delia.

I'm gullible, but that's fucking gullible. Sorry. I love that. You're a dreamer, you're a believer. Got it. Silence only for the souffle. I mean, I guess like concentration comes into it, maybe. There was, there's, it was, like, a lot of it, like, don't let it fall.

Which I now realize sounds. I love that. Obviously, science wasn't my thing either. Did you have good catering on the set? We did. So I hear. I was so, oh, God, were you just like doing everything? Well, she was everything.

Riddled with anxiety and, and intent. I mean, I was having the most fun. But you know when you're so focused on a project? Yeah. And you care. And you have this deep well of energy that comes up, which is great. Yeah. It's like manic, though.

It's a little manic. Yeah. It's a little manic. Penelope Cruz used to walk up and just shove snacks in my face. And she'd see me drinking. like a Diet Coke or Seth Rogan got me onto cherry Coke zero. Oh my God, I've never heard of that. I mean, it's not made of anything natural.

No, but delicious. It's so good. So good. So I would be drinking that, but I'd be like, oh no, no. And she'd give me like a piece of fruit and a water and I'd be like, this won't do. This isn't going to get me through the day. But it was it was just a very short. a period of time of like real...

How long did you film it for? 21 days. Wow. And then two days on location. We went to San Francisco and did all the kind of exterior stuff that you see in the beginning. I want to say that first opening shot with the chairs in the auditorium. Isn't that great? I love it. That's in this beautiful

conservatory in San Francisco. It's actually in a high school but it looks so beautiful. And I mean, I really care a lot about opening shots. I think it says everything about the movie. I also, I love opening credit sequences, which is kind of an old school thing now. And you did it. Yeah, it was beautiful.

It's like a way to set up the movie, give a lot of context very quickly. What would you have been if you hadn't been an actress and a director? Well, the funny thing is that when I was... Besides a neuro sign. The reason I went to Ballet Malou is I thought I wanted to be a chef. Did you? I think it's just because I wanted to eat all day, every day. I just love food and I love food culture and people.

I think for me, because my parents... had these dinner parties all the time. I equated the food world with like happiness, people gathering, connection. It's kind of glamorous dinner parties as well. Yes, yeah, fun. It sounded fun. People don't do as many dinner parties anymore.

But I think English people are much better. Like in New York, people put shoes in their kitchen. Like, why would you even have a kitchen? Yeah, Sarah Jessica Parker in the house. Rollo's in the fridge. But like, would you store stuff? Where do you live now? I'm based in L.A.

Okay. L.A., London, a bit of New York. But would, if we were coming over, would you be ordering in or would you cook for us? You guys ordering and I wouldn't dare, but a normal person. Nora Effron always says it's okay to have like one little thing that's brought in. And she also said you need just a few basic recipes, right?

And I think that I used to have my go-toes, and I've really, I've lost that practice. We didn't get what your last supper drink could be, did we? I think wine, but I wasn't confident enough to name a wine. You like red. I like red wine, too. I like white wine too. I like a good, like, like, a good, like summer that's just drenched in, like, real, like, white wine, just like a boozy white wine summer.

I really could live that life. That's what I'm doing this summer. And I'm not opposed to putting ice in my wine. I love that, babe. That's what the French do. Oh, really? The Greeks do it as well. I think it's to dilute it slightly.

I mean, hang on. So that's my annoying. My dancer who lives in Paris said that they're all having rosé with an ice Cuban. And it's a thing. So apologies to it's rosé. I'm not usually, for some reason, I don't love rosé. I love rosé.

I prefer like a really dry, crispy white. Like a white burgundy. Yeah. A shably or something. but I do like a good red wine So you're in London promoting Are there any spots that you absolutely love to go to When you're in London?

Yes, so I edited the film in London Oh nice And I was in Soho And I would My favorite lunch place was I love duck soup So nice I love Mountain

Oh yeah We love that mountain is really good They have this um Chrizo That is so good Is it the sobrasada? The one that's what Yeah, with the honey.

His bread is great. It's so good and really, really nice wine. Do you need more cheese, darling? No, now I'm finally getting into my cheese. I haven't had the soft one. Is that this? This is the tallegio. I love it.

Talegio, shall we go away? I have to tell you something, Olivia. But Jesse and you, your character in the impact of a lot in common. Oh, are you a bit of an Angela? I like you around naked. I do like well I don't necessarily want to do it in front of the window

I don't for wearing Carol no I don't but Jessie's always But Jesse's always Walked around naked Actually Carol did tell me when we just moved in That she said

I hate to break it to you I can see you in your bathroom I think maybe And I did get a curtain That's a good They shouldn't have said anything Yeah No it's a very sweet

She went I hate it We don't know which I've I can't see you naked And in your ballroom? I used to, when I lived in New York, there was a couple across the way and a building nearby, and I had binoculars. And I don't know if this is, this is unethical, really.

But I watched their entire relationship. It was very rear window. Like, I watched them from, I believed, I told myself it was their first date through the breakup. Over like a year. Oh, wow. I would check in. It was like watching my favorite show. I would just like, run up to the roof of the apartment building and be like,

and unfortunately they were they always went away into the bedroom to have sex I was always like you never got back back then eventually they're going to get busy in this kitchen I'm watching they were very polite they were like I have drinks have dinner and like flirt and I'd be like okay okay oh no but I really tracked their emotional development as a couple I love that honesty thank you for that Olivia you're welcome you're psychopath before we have um pudding yes um what so yeah we didn't actually find out what you would be cooking for us, did we, if we were coming over to us? Yeah, because I bailed on it really quick. You really did. I would order you something from all time. The Japanese sweet potato.

Yeah, I would get you some beautiful Japanese sweet potato cooked by Ashley from all time. What do you have with it? Do you have the fish or do you have the steak? I really like that steak, actually. Sometimes I'll go sit by myself at the bar and have the steak with some red wine. I love to eat by myself. Really? Do you live near Hillhurst? I used for years. I would right up the street. I'm in Little Canyon, I'm nearby. Okay. But I will drive there happily. I, in the last, like, six years, learned how to eat alone.

Right. Without shame. And the funniest time, I mean, there was one time, my favorite restaurant in Paris is Ami Louis. Ami Louis. You know that, you've probably been there and not remembered, but they have the roast chicken. They have this chicken with fries, and it's so delicious. And that's what you get there. You just get the chicken.

And I went, I was in Paris and I didn't have anyone to have dinner with and I was like, I just want to go alone. I actually don't want to talk to anyone else. I want to focus on eating. I just want to think about the chicken and eat the chicken. But it's really a chicken for two. And yet, or like seven. It's a big chicken.

And I went and they were like, it's just you. And I was like, yes. And I ordered it and I ate the entire fucking thing. Oh, wow. Good for you. It was like the scene. seven when he's like I couldn't be stopped

it was real gluttony but it was perfect and I saw someone I knew in the restaurant and they looked at me with such pity and they're like, do you want to go to him? And you like that. And I was so happy. Do you read when you're... Yes, and I read and then it's just, you realize

like I didn't want to see anyone else. I wanted to just have this time alone but it feels so shameful. Do you know of Bill Nye? Yes. He eats alone. Love something. night and reads a book every night and he never cooks in he goes out every night to a restaurant

and eats on his own that's that's the life I want I love it and I think it's tricky because sometimes when people say are you free and you're like why I am free but I don't want to say but I'm going to spend it alone in a restaurant and it's valuable I also finally learned how to travel by myself which I think many women don't do particularly once you've had kids and you feel guilty about doing it but I started going on trips by myself, road trips by myself, just learning how to be alone. I can't do that. You could. Just he can't be on her own even an evening.

But this is what I had to learn to. It was a very, it was an important thing for me as a person to figure out how to, I was single for many years, in the last chunk of years, because I just thought, wait, do I not even know how to be alone? And so I made it my focus. And, I mean, people really look at you like you're insane. but it's worth it. Okay, I'm going to try.

I'm going to try. I have to come for the, if Sam goes out, she wants me in the house. That's really nice. That's maybe more for a job girl. Oh, fuck off, Jessie. I thought it's because you adored me. I do adore you, Mom. We're tethered.

We are tethered. Should I check if that ice cream's okay? Yeah. Mom, tell Olivia what she's eating. It's an apricot ice cream with Amaretti biscuit. Oh my God. Oh my God. That's heaven, Mom.

I told you. Shit, that's good. Do you know what it is? You'll probably stop eating it. It's a whole jar of jam. Bon Mammont, April Cup preserve. You whip up a small pot of cream

and mix it together. With Amaretti biscuits. Mom, this is a... I actually think this is heaven. It's so good. It actually has like almost a moose like gravity to it because it's so creamy. And you don't need to turn.

it. Oh my God. This is great, mum. Wow. It looks like proper ice cream. I mean, why does anyone bother to do bloody, the whole churn with the ice cream? But I think there must be some alpemy with the jam and the cream together. If it's creating this very specific.

And do you get the crunch? I did get the crunch then. That's a slam dunk. Would you have a bit more of the crunch shape? Do you want me to... I would have more crunch and slightly less apricot. That might have been the jump you got, maybe. Then I think I might put more cream in because I think, yeah, I'm more cream or which. Yeah.

It's really slimming and you won't have a hot tub afterwards. My dad always says if it doesn't taste right, add more butter. If that doesn't work, add more cream. He's Irish. Yeah. He gets it. Do you still go to Ireland on the holiday? They're there right now and I'm going in a couple weeks and we usually spend the whole, I mean, they spend like four months a year.

I've got a house there. Yeah. Because are your kids on a break now? They're on break. So before we let you go, can you give us a nostalgic taste that can transport you back somewhere? Oh, yeah. It's funny because I think about, I said my dad would make like Shepherds Pie, which is a thing that I think if I were to have a bite of would immediately take me back to being about like 10 years old.

Do they have shepherd's pie in the States? No. Does he have a secret ingredient? I put bait beans in mine. Ooh. Yeah. That's great. Yeah.

I think it's just like the mince itself being as kind of like probably buttery as possible. And the potato is gorgeous on top. For a few misguided years, I was a vegan. And I say misguided because I didn't do it right. Right. I was like a really badly behaved. A bad vegan. Yeah, because I would just eat like.

That could be your memoir. Bad vegan. I think it is. Isn't that minority? It might be a bad vegan. But it was pathetic because I would try to turn. every delicious dish into a vegan dish, which is always really disgusting. And I would do, like, vegan shepherd's pie, which is just a lot of mushrooms.

Yeah. Oh, mushrooms. You don't use corn. Corn or that pretend mint stuff? I don't like any of the pretend meats. Okay. But it was so funny because I would try to make it for my dad and be like, I've done the same thing except vegan. And he was like, get it out.

It's not the same. But I really feel, I feel. I feel emotional about Shepard's Pie probably because of him. But it's funny because that just occurred to me in the moment because we were just talking about him. But I'd say if I had to pick like my favorite thing to eat is Italian food, like I think that there's nothing better.

Me neither. There's nothing better. Which Sugo is your Sugo? Your go-to Sugo. What is my go-to Sugo? I mean, for me, I only, I go for like the spaghetti von Gle at any opportunity. Do you go to Italy?

holiday? Yeah. Who would be your favorite guest around a dinner table? Dead or alive? Dead or alive? I was thinking about this recently and I was thinking Carl Sagan

because I actually Who's that? Carl Sagan. Well, I always called him Carl Sagan, but I'm sure it's Carl Sagan. No, I don't think it is. I think you're right. He's a novelist.

He's a novelist and an astrophysicist. Yeah. And he and his wife, Ann Durian, they created, I think, the most romantic thing that's ever been made, which was the golden record. The golden record in 1975 was a record

of kind of creations by humans in terms of the sounds of humanity that was pressed onto a literal golden record and put on the voyagers, the two voyagers sent into space. And they're still in space. They're still going.

And it's so romantic is what they did. And you can find this. You can listen to it online. They captured the sounds of like babies, crying, people laughing, just what humans sound like, and music, like Chuck

Barry, they curated this. So if a Martian finds this. Yes, and the idea was that if a Martian found it, or anyone found it, that they would play this record and they would understand humanity. And they even had instructions for how to put the vinyl on.

As though there would be someone with like a posable thumbs to figure out. But I just think it's the most romantic thing in the world and the fact that they're still out there. And you can listen to the recordings they made and there's an opening to the record from the, I think, Secretary General of the UN and it's all about like on behalf of humanity. It's the idea of we come with curiosity and kindness and the idea of, oh, if only this could be what we send out

into the interspace. Jessie, I'm writing to NASA and asking for one of your albums to go out, darling. You must be on the next record. On the next rocket, your album is going to be on that. Really, and Carl Sagan, you know, he, the idea of the, we are just a pale blue dot in space, and not only was their love just legendary as a couple, but they, but he had this perspective on our place in the universe that I find really fascinating. So I think if I could have anyone to dinner, it's Carl Sagan. I think that is where we can leave it because that is an excellent answer. Olivia, I thank you so much for coming over.

Congratulations. It's such a fantastic film. I'm so happy you liked it. We would wish you good luck that you don't need it. You absolutely don't. Yeah, you need a muzzle top. I would have accepted. I appreciate it.

Thank you. Olivia Wilde. What a gal. What a fantastic woman. Such fun. That was a great first date for me and Olivia. I just loved her. I mean, she was enthusiastic, clever, well-informed.

Who knew about Carl Sagan? I know. That was a good. great dinner party guest. Yeah. Also, I guess she may be, yeah, she said at the beginning, she's relieved because it's all feels good with the invite because it is that brilliant. Yeah.

You must go and see it. Wonderful. You must go and discuss it with your friends. Yeah. And your loved ones. And congratulations to Olivia Wild and the cast of the invite. It is so fantastic. The food was really, I mean, look, like it was delicious.

That Nigel Slater loaf. would be perfect for a picnic. Oh, it's gorgeous. Really good for a picnic and really straightforward and rose for me. So if I can do it, anyone can and you know how crap I am. What was the rising agent then? I think the self-raising flour. Okay.

By carb and the kaffir, I guess, kind of helped. Maybe, maybe, I don't know. I don't know. Yeah. Sure. Yeah. We'll see you next week for more. Excuse me.

Sorry. Oh, sorry. No, let's talk about the ice cream. That ice cream was. unreal. I know. Easiest thing I've ever done. Do you think we can give our guest next week that ice cream with another ice cream? Yeah. Thank you, Pepe. That was she not dead, Mom. Why are you looking at this? No, I don't know I was looking to this guy, but I wanted to thank Pepe because she always says, I can't cook. And then she always turns up something quite delicious that's kind of really easy recipe. That was lovely. Welcome, Pepe. We'll see you next week for more table mothers. I mean,