Director Olivia Wilde 'served custody papers on stage on behalf of ex Jason Sudeikis'

The director was appearing at CinemaCon in Las Vegas at a presentation for her upcoming thriller Don’t Worry Darling, which stars her partner Harry Styles and English actor Florence Pugh, when she was given a brown envelope.

US media reported a person approached from the seated section and slid the envelope marked “private and confidential” across the front of the stage to Wilde, who then opened it, with US entertainment news website Deadline saying there were custody documents inside relating to the two children the 38-year-old has with Ted Lasso star Sudeikis.

A source for 46-year-old Sudeikis told US showbiz outlet Variety: “Papers were drawn up to establish jurisdiction relating to the children of Ms Wilde and Mr Sudeikis.

“Mr Sudeikis had no prior knowledge of the time or place that the envelope would have been delivered as this would solely be up to the process service company involved, and he would never condone her being served in such an inappropriate manner,” the source added.

The pair were together from 2011 until late 2020 and are parents of eight-year-old son Otis and daughter Daisy, five.

We have never in the history of the convention had an incident where a delegate has approached the stage who was not authorised to be there

CinemaCon's Mitch Neuhauser

CinemaCon’s managing director Mitch Neuhauser said the event was re-evaluating its security procedures.

“We have never in the history of the convention had an incident where a delegate has approached the stage who was not authorised to be there.

“In light of this incident, we are re-evaluating our security procedures to ensure the safety of all our attendees,” Mr Neuhauser told Deadline in a statement.

Wilde in December said she was “happier” than she has ever been after commencing her relationship with former One Direction singer Styles.

“I’m happier than I’ve ever been. And I’m healthier than I’ve ever been, and it’s just wonderful to feel that,” she told US Vogue.

Don’t Worry Darling will premiere in September, after filming had to be stopped several times during the pandemic.

Styles, 28, has received acclaim for his recent headline performances at the Coachella festival in the California desert, where Wilde was filmed watching him from the side of the stage on April 15.

Sudeikis, meanwhile, stars as the eponymous coach Lasso in the south-west London-set Apple TV series, which features a predominantly British cast and won numerous accolades during the most recent awards season.