Olivia Wilde is promoting The Invite, which she directed and stars in with Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton. It’s her first directorial endeavor since 2022’s gossip-ridden Don’t Worry Darling. During a recent appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, Olivia spoke fondly about her experience filming 2011’s Cowboys & Aliens. Even though the film underperformed, she had a blast working with Jon Favreau, Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, and Sam Rockwell. She also told hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman a wild story about how Walton Goggins saved her life on set. Olivia, who is an experienced horseback rider, was thrown from a horse while filming a scene with dozens of horses galloping towards her. Here’s more from The Independent:

“Walt Goggins saved my life on that movie,” Wilde told hosts Shepard and Monica Padman of the 2011 space Western.

In the film, set in 1873 Arizona, Wilde played a mysterious woman who joins the cowboys, while Goggins portrayed one of the outlaws drawn into battle.

“I had a very bad horse accident and he saved me,” Wilde explained. “Basically, we were galloping across — I’ve ridden horses my whole life — I have a lot of confidence with riding English style; this was Western, different. And we were at that point, like two months in, and we got real cocky with it. And we were pretty competitive.

“And it was me and Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford galloping like full sprint across the desert. With like 40 horses behind us,” she said. “And it was like we were leading the charge to fight the aliens or whatever — whatever we were doing in that movie.

“We got to a part where I could see ahead of us that there was a large ditch, like a six-foot ditch. And I was like, this horse is going to jump that ditch. And I’m on this western saddle, no helmet, because I’m playing like an old-timey lady.

“Spoiler: I was actually an alien,” she added. “Oh, I know everyone’s seen it, but still. So sure enough, this horse jumps and bucks me off in the craziest way.

Wilde said she hit her head and back on impact and was left lying on the ground, hidden behind a “lip of dirt” that obscured her from the charging horses behind her.

“And there was also a lot of dust,” she continued. “And I remember having my ear to the ground and I could hear it. And it sounded like thunder, like they were coming towards me. I had the thought — it sounds so dramatic — but I thought it’ll be quick,” she said of her impending doom. “It’ll be like pulverized applesauce. Out. And I was waiting for it to happen.

“Then Walt Goggins had seen it ahead of him. And in a split second, thought to turn his horse sideways, right in front of me and let everyone bash into him. And he’s a great rider, so he was able to handle that.

“And people split the two sides around us, thinking he had just like gone insane. But he was protecting my body on the ground. And so I owe him my life,” Wilde concluded.

“Wow. He’s a real-life hero,” an astounded Shepard finally responded.

“He didn’t even bring that up when he was on the show,” Padman added.

[From The Independent]

That is a horrifying story. It must have all unfolded within seconds, and Walton probably did save her life. I hope everyone on set was a little less cocky about their horseback stunts and a lot more mindful during the rest of the shoot. I’m curious if there’s a legal reason why this story hasn’t come out before now, and would love to hear how Walton, Favreau, Harrison Ford, and Daniel Craig answer future questions about that incident. I also want to know if any safety protocols changed as a result. On a happier note, Olivia also praised Paul Dano for being the only actor who was nice to her during her days working as a casting intern. She said “everyone else treated me like low-level staff except Paul Dano, the nicest person in the world.” Take that, Quentin Tarantino.

Photos credit: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon, Jose Velasco/Europa Press/Avalon