Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Snapshot · Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Olivia Wilde

Explore episode Jun 29, 2026

Where this was said

The OC, House, Cowboys and Aliens — and Walton Goggins Saves Her Life

At 1:05:00 · chapter starts 1:00:00

Olivia joined The OC in Season 2 after show creator Josh Schwartz sold her on a role that would let her meet real musicians performing in the show's bait-shop bar — only to discover how massive the show was when the first episode aired. She did four to five seasons on House, working alongside Hugh Laurie, who she calls 'the dreamiest dreamboat' and quotes with his famous line about acting with an accent being like 'playing with a tennis racket while holding a salmon.' She got a deal that let her take pay cuts in exchange for doing movies during hiatus. Then comes the Cowboys and Aliens horse story: galloping full sprint across the desert alongside Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, she fell into a six-foot ditch ahead of 40 oncoming horses in a cloud of dust. Lying face-down on the ground, she had the thought 'it'll be quick.' Walton Goggins saw her, turned his horse sideways, and absorbed the impact to shield her. She says she owes him her life.

TV & Film
Walton Goggins Saved Olivia Wilde's Life on Cowboys and Aliens

Olivia Wilde · Jun 29, 2026 TV & Film

Olivia Wilde fell off her horse into a ditch ahead of 40 galloping horses on the Cowboys and Aliens set. She was face-down in the dirt, invisible in the dust. Walton Goggins saw her, turned his horse sideways, and took the impact himself — shielding her body. She says she owes him her life.

Music
The Scream video: most expensive music video ever made

Olivia Wilde · Jun 29, 2026

Director Mark Romanek's Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson 'Scream' video is described as the most expensive music video ever made; Romanek gave Olivia Wilde his Red Hot Chili Peppers directorial gig, launching her directing career.

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