Well, this might get ugly. Earlier this week, Variety published a deep-dive interview with actor and director Olivia Wilde whose main focus was the freshman filmmaker’s upcoming psychological thriller, Don’t Worry Darling. During the interview, Wilde talked openly (and bluntly) about firing her former movie lead Shia LaBeouf. The main role was taken over by pop superstar Harry Styles. In a new development, however, LaBeouf spoke out to state that he wasn’t fired from the movie at all.
In her statement to Variety about LaBeouf, Wilde made a disclaimer that she’s an “admirer of his work”, but that “His process was not conducive to the ethos that I demand in my productions.” Wilde is referring to LaBeouf’s method of preparing for a role, which often involves some aggressive behavior, and has been addressed several times by headlines and the actor himself. After reading the article, however, the former Transformers star wasn’t happy with the allegations and reached out to the news outlet. Through an e-mail, LaBeouf said he texted Wilde saying that “you and I both know the reasons for my exit”.
In an e-mail sent to Wilde (which he also shared with Variety), LaBeouf reveals he’s on a “journey that feels redemptive & righteous.” Back in 2020, the actor made headlines after his former girlfriend, pop singer FKA Twigs accused him of relentless “abuse,” and then he announced he was actively searching for treatment. Now, in the e-mail, LaBeouf mentions that he’s been 627 days sober and has now a “moral compass that never existed before."
Twigs is mentioned in the e-mail, but LaBeouf suggests there will be a “time and place” to reveal his side of the story. He's referring to the upcoming trial involving both parties, which takes place next April. At the time that Twigs filed a lawsuit against the actor, she mentioned constant gaslighting, which the actor denied. However, when talking to the New York Times, LaBeouf had a choice of words that seemed to confirm Twigs’ narrative. He said:
"I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel. I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”
Considering the actor’s own accounts of his past behavior and Wilde’s interview with Variety, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to think that LaBeouf’s acting process didn’t match the rest of the cast’s — especially Florence Pugh, who spent the most time with him on set. For now, Wilde has declined to comment further on the matter. We’ll have to wait for further developments to have a clearer picture of what went down during the early production of the movie.
Don’t Worry Darling premieres in theaters on September 23. You can watch the trailer below: