Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde is an actor and director with such diverse screen credits that viewers may wonder about her background. Marie and Mike are here with the biographical answers. She was born into the prominent Cockburn family of journalists and raised in Washington, D. C., where the late writer Christopher Hitchens was her babysitter! Going much further back in family history, one of her British ancestors gave the orders to burn the Capitol and White House during the War of 1812. Marie and Mike do not hold that against Olivia Wilde, whose professional name is a tribute to the incendiary writer Oscar Wilde. From the TV series "House" through such movies as "Tron: Legacy," "Her" and "A Vigilante," she proved to be a capable actor; and, as a director, "Booksmart" further showcased her own smarts.