The Invite arrives on Zee5: Seth Rogen says he and cast “overtly pressured” Olivia Wilde to star in the film
Actor Seth Rogen has shared how he and his co-stars persuaded Olivia Wilde to take on the lead role in The Invite. In a conversation with the Associated Press, Rogen revealed that the cast even created a separate group chat to plan how they could convince Wilde to star in the film, which she also directed.

Speaking about their approach, Rogen said the group deliberately tried to make Wilde their preferred choice for the role. “We overtly pressured her to do it. We had a side text chain between us where we would strategize about how to do it and how to launch a multipronged attack on her to back her into doing it,” he said.
Rogen also joked about how he responded when Wilde suggested other actors for the part.
“I literally made it impossible to hire another person because everyone else she suggested I was like, ‘I don’t think they’d be good at this,’” he added.
Olivia Wilde calls The Invite one of her best acting experiences
Wilde, who directed the film and plays one of its central characters, admitted that acting alongside her co-stars initially felt intimidating because of her admiration for their work. However, she said the experience turned out to be particularly rewarding.
“It was the best experience of my career for every reason, but certainly as an actor. I’ve never had that much fun acting,” Wilde said.
She also reflected on how the experience made her reconsider her relationship with acting, suggesting that the opportunity allowed her to enjoy performing in a way she had not expected.
What is The Invite about?
The Invite follows Angela, played by Wilde, and her husband Joe, portrayed by Rogen, as they navigate difficulties in their marriage. Their relationship takes an unexpected turn when they invite their upstairs neighbours, Hawk and Piña, played by Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz, over for dinner.
The evening brings underlying tensions and uncomfortable conversations to the surface, with the film exploring relationships, marriage and the challenges couples face when communicating with each other.
The film brings together Rogen, Wilde, Norton and Cruz in a story that combines humour with interpersonal drama. The Invite is now streaming on ZEE5.
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