Exes Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis are hoping to dismiss their children’s former nanny Ericka Genaro’s lawsuit regarding her termination.
“It is unfortunate that this private matter continues to play out in the press. Our focus has been and will continue to be to steadfastly protect our family in the face of harassment of any kind,” the Don’t Worry Darling director, 39, and the Ted Lasso star, 47, tell Us Weekly in a joint statement. “We are confident that the evidence brought forward will affirm our position to summarily dismiss this case and bring our family peace.”
The pair — who split in November 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic — are planning to file a motion to compel arbitration in Genaro’s case, which they allege was improperly filed in California as a civil suit instead as a hearing before the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in New York. Wilde and the Saturday Night Live alum also want to dismiss the California case entirely so that both parties can bring forward complaints to the AAA.
Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis Hahn Lionel/ABACA/Shutterstock
Us previously confirmed in February that Genaro had filed a lawsuit against the House alum and Sudeikis — who share son Otis, 9, and daughter Daisy, 6 — for wrongful termination. Genaro had served as Otis and Daisy’s nanny beginning in 2019 before she was eventually let go. Genaro alleged in her original court filing that she was fired because of the anxiety and depression she allegedly developed as a result of her employment.
Genaro had claimed that Wilde “abruptly left” the family home in 2020, which caused an “adverse consequence” on Sudeikis’ emotional state. The nanny alleged that Sudeikis had started leaning on her for support, noting that the Emmy winner had asked her to “stay up at night” to discuss his split, which she “felt compelled to engage in” though it caused her stress. Genaro then revealed the conversations to Wilde, whom she noted seemed sympathetic to her feelings. Sudeikis later told Genaro that Wilde had informed him of their exchange.
“[Genaro] was stunned at the abrupt announcement, and her heart sank because of its significance — there was no peace when confiding in Wilde,” Genaro’s attorneys wrote in their February filing. “Sudeikis then asked [Genaro] ‘do you trust me?’ as part ‘gotcha,’ part threat and part confirmation [Genaro] was on Sudeikis’ side.”
According to Wilde and Sudeikis, Genaro had signed an employment contract when she was hired, which noted that she was “obligated” to raise any disputes through binding arbitration before the AAA. The former couple also allege that many of Genaro’s claims are without merit, noting that they “generously paid” her throughout her time as the kids’ nanny.
Genaro first aired her complaints about the pair during a bombshell Daily Mail interview late last year, before Wilde and the Kansas native fervently denied the claims.
Olivia Wilde, Daisy Josephine Sudeikis, Otis Sudeikis and Jason Sudeikis. John Photography/Shutterstock
“As parents, it is incredibly upsetting to learn that a former nanny of our two young children would choose to make up such false and scurrilous accusations about us publicly,” the exes previously told Us in an October 2022 statement. “This is the unfortunate apex of a now, 18-month-long campaign of harassing us, as well as our loved ones, close friends and colleagues. We will continue to focus on raising and protecting our children with the sincere hope that she will now choose to leave our family alone.”
Wilde — who split from her Don’t Worry Darling leading man, Harry Styles, in November 2022 — and Sudeikis have also been involved in a messy custody dispute. The Horrible Bosses actor had publicly served his ex-fiancée with custody paperwork during her April 2022 appearance at CinemaCon. (Sudeikis has since denied intentionally serving Wilde during the professional outing.)
Amid the courtroom battle, the Booksmart director claimed that she has covered all financial costs for Otis and Daisy without Sudeikis’ assistance, which she alleged sent her into debt.
“Olivia and Jason shared costs equally and fairly throughout their relationship, including everything related to the children,” a source close to the Mother’s Day actor exclusively told Us last month, denying the allegations. “Jason took it upon himself to initiate the proceedings in the first place to ensure that the kids would be properly cared for by both parents based on the court deciding what is fair financially going forward.”
Later in April, a judge rejected Sudeikis’ petition to move the case from Los Angeles to New York. Since then, the two actors have been spotted together at several of Otis’ weekend soccer games, oftentimes chatting and hugging in the stands.
