Olivia Wilde tweeted a cryptic quote about “ugly and crippling” love in the wake of the news that her former nanny had filed a lawsuit against her and Jason Sudeikis. The director of Don’t Worry, Darling, 38, shared the message from writer John Steinbeck on her Instagram Story on Tuesday, February 14, Valentine’s Day.
“There are several kinds of love,” read the message, which Steinbeck wrote to his son Thom in 1958. “One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing that uses love for self-importance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you — of kindness and consideration and respect — not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable.”
The quote continued: “The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn’t know you had.”
Wilde’s statement came as it was revealed that Ericka Genaro, Sudeikis’ former nanny, is suing them for job discrimination. On Tuesday, Genaro filed a lawsuit against the former couple, who have son Otis, 8, and daughter Daisy, 6.
Genaro claimed in court documents acquired by Us Weekly that she “became increasingly anxious and stressed” when her former employers broke their romantic relationship after nine years together.
The former childcare pro alleged that Wilde “abruptly left the home where she lived” with Sudeikis and the children in November 2020, adding, “Wilde’s sudden absence from the home had an adverse consequence on its emotional state, including Sudeikis leaning on the presence of [Genaro] for support.”
Genaro claimed that the Saturday Night Live alum, 47, asked her to “stay up at night after the kids were put to bed to talk” about his split from Wilde, who later moved on with Harry Styles. “The pressure of [Genaro] not only being the primary caretaker of the children but also filling in Wilde’s absence for the children, became debilitating,” the ex-nanny claimed in the court filing.
Genaro allegedly discussed her thoughts with Wilde at one point and felt “a genuine sense of relief and [camaraderie]” after the conversation. Shortly after that conversation, however, Genaro said Sudeikis informed her Wilde talked to him in confidence about what she felt was stated.
Genaro soon started going to group therapy with the Drinking Buddies star and the comedian, and she later went to see an osteopath on her own. She said in her complaint that Sudeikis fired her abruptly after she requested a three-day “leave of absence” to deal with her anxiety and depression.
She now believes she was terminated “because of her disability of anxiety/depression, and for seeking the reasonable accommodation of a three-day leave of absence for same.” Genaro is seeking damages including “loss of earnings, deferred compensation and other employment benefits” and reimbursement for her legal fees.
Last year, Genaro made news when she claimed in the Daily Mail that Sudeikis grew upset when she found Wilde was on her way to Styles’ house with her now-famous “special” salad dressing.
After Genaro’s interview, Wilde and Sudeikis slammed her comments in a joint statement. “As parents, it is incredibly upsetting to learn that a former nanny of our two young children would choose to make up such false and scurrilous accusations about us publicly,” the former couple told Us in October 2022. “This is the unfortunate apex of a now, 18-month-long campaign of harassing us, as well as our loved ones, close friends, and colleagues. We will continue to focus on raising and protecting our children with the sincere hope that she will now choose to leave our family alone.”