CinemaCon management is “re-evaluating” security protocols after it emerged on Wednesday (April 27) that Olivia Wilde was served with legal documents while promoting her film Don’t Worry Darling on stage at the Warner Bros presentation on Tuesday.
In a statement to Screendaily CinemaCon managing director Mitch Neuhauser said, “We have never in the history of the convention had an incident where a delegate approached the stage who was not authorised to be there. In light of this incident we are re-evaluating our security procedures to ensure the safety of all of our attendees.”
It is the second major security breach at a film industry event after the notorious Will Smith slap at the Oscars a month ago.
Wilde, whose second film as director stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles and Chris Pine and will open on September 23, was in mid-flow when a person approached the stage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and dropped a manila envelope marked ‘Personal and Confidential’ in front of her. The actor and filmmaker looked inside and continued unperturbed.
On Wednesday Deadline reported that the envelope contained custody papers from her former partner, Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, with whom she has two children. The couple split up in 2020 and Wilde’s current partner is Styles. It has since been reported that Sudeikis was not aware of the exact timing of when the documents would be served.
Neuhauser did not confirm the details of the incident nor the contents of the envelope, but said all security protocols would be reviewed after CinemaCon ends on Thursday He did not elaborate on what form enhanced meaures might take.
While Colosseum attendees including press are required to present passes admitting them to the venue and must also undergo a bag check where a police K-9 dog unit is regularly in attendance, the incident once again raises serious questions over the safety of attendees at film industry shows.
It comes exactly one month after the notorious 75th Oscars ceremony when Smith walked on stage to slap presenter Chris Rock and then shouted expletives at the comedian following a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Later that night Smith won the best lead actor Oscar for King Richard. He resigned from the Academy five days later and the Academy subsequently banned him from all its events for 10 years.
By coincidence Rock’s ‘Ego Death World Tour’ will take the comedian to The Colosseum on May 6 and 7.
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