Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis' Split Reportedly Inspired New Divorce Drama 'War'

Sky's new divorce drama, 'War,' reportedly took inspiration from the highly publicized split between Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis. The eight-part series, written and directed by George Kay, draws on real-life events that occurred following the end of the couple's seven-year engagement in 2020.

Dominic West portrays tech tycoon Morgan Henderson, who experiences a dramatic separation from his actress wife Carla Duval, played by Sienna Miller. The narrative unfolds through the perspectives of their respective legal teams. While Kay remained reticent about direct inspiration, stating it's "original storytelling" with "little lifts off real life, little nods," sources indicate that a specific incident in the first episode mirrors elements of Wilde and Sudeikis' breakup.

Sienna Miller described the event depicted as "awful" and based on a real-life situation familiar to many. Dominic West noted that the initial conflict, termed "the honey trap," is the catalyst that escalizes the situation into "war."

The series has already secured a second season, which is currently in production. This next installment will explore a new major legal case centered on defamation, positioning 'War' as an anthology series.

Wilde and Sudeikis' separation became notably contentious, particularly regarding child custody. The couple, who share son Otis and daughter Daisy, began dating in 2011 and became engaged in 2013. They announced their separation in late 2020.

Court filings revealed a deterioration in their previously amicable co-parenting agreement after Sudeikis filed a lawsuit in New York City Family Court in October 2021. He sought for the children to reside in Brooklyn, while Wilde intended for them to remain with her in Los Angeles, with a potential relocation to London.

Wilde was served legal documents on April 26, 2022, during a presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. She later referenced the incident in court documents, criticizing Sudeikis' "outrageous legal tactics" for serving her "mid-speech."

Wilde stated in the documents that Sudeikis' actions were intended to "threaten me and catch me off guard" and that he chose an "aggressive manner" for service. She further argued that his decision to "embarrass me professionally and put our personal conflict on public display" was contrary to their children's best interests. Consequently, she filed a petition for custody in Los Angeles.

In August 2022, a New York judge dismissed Sudeikis' case, ruling that New York was not the home state of the children, and California was.

The day following this ruling, Wilde shared an Instagram Story that appeared to depict a moment of celebration.