2020 was a year that certainly brought a deluge of shocking information from across the planet, which almost made a development in the new Olivia Wilde film go unnoticed – almost. The actor-turned-director made the decision to fire film star Shia LaBeouf from the lead role in Don’t Worry Darling. Back then, Warner Bros. cited a scheduling conflict, which we kind of didn’t buy, especially after some troubling accusations were made by LaBeouf’s former girlfriend FKA Twigs, and it was announced that the actor was “actively seeking” treatment for addiction and psychological issues.
Now, over a year after the incident and as she fires up the promotion tour for Don’t Worry Darling, Wilde speaks out bluntly for the first time about what ultimately led her to decide LaBeouf wasn’t right for the part – even though production had already started. In an exclusive interview with Variety, the director revealed that a big red flag was the former Transformers star’s preparation process:
“I say this as someone who is such an admirer of his work. His process was not conducive to the ethos that I demand in my productions. He has a process that, in some ways, seems to require a combative energy, and I don’t personally believe that is conducive to the best performances. I believe that creating a safe, trusting environment is the best way to get people to do their best work. Ultimately, my responsibility is to the production and to the cast to protect them. That was my job.”
LaBeouf’s process, which used to incorporate method acting and aggressive behavior, has been the subject of headlines for years, and the actor himself acknowledged it several times in interviews. In spite of all that, Wilde had kind words to say about her former star, and underscores why he had to go:
“A lot came to light after this happened that really troubled me, in terms of his behavior. I find myself just really wishing him health and evolution because I believe in restorative justice. But for our film, what we really needed was an energy that was incredibly supportive. Particularly with a movie like this, I knew that I was going to be asking Florence [Pugh] to be in very vulnerable situations, and my priority was making her feel safe and making her feel supported.”
Don’t Worry Darling is a sci-fi thriller that stars Pugh and Harry Styles as a young and seemingly perfect couple in the utopian city of Victory. Their paradise faces disruption when Alice (Pugh) begins to suspect that there is more than meets the eye in their little secluded town. The cast also features Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, and Nick Kroll.
You can watch the trailer below:
Check out the official synopsis here:
Alice (Pugh) and Jack (Styles) are lucky to be living in Victory, the experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. Life is perfect, with every resident’s needs met by the company. All they ask in return is unquestioning commitment to the Victory cause. But when cracks in their idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive façade, Alice can’t help questioning what they’re doing in Victory, and why. Just how much is Alice willing to lose to expose what’s really going on in paradise?