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Olivia Wilde speaks out over firing Shia LaBeouf from Don’t Worry Darling before Harry Styles casting-Rishma Dosani-Entertainment – Metro
Don’t Worry Darling is due in cinemas next month.
Olivia Wilde has opened up about her decision to fire Shia LaBeouf from Don’t Worry Darling.
The director had cast the Transformers actor in the leading role of Jack, opposite Florence Pugh’s Alice, in her upcoming sci-fi thriller, before Harry Styles eventually came in as his replacement.
At the time, the reason offered for his departure from the project was ‘scheduling conflicts’, with the Watermelon Sugar singer – who was the first choice for the role – confirmed soon after.
Speaking in a new interview, the mom-of-two detailed what went on behind-the-scenes for the first time.
‘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,’ she said.
‘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.’
Olivia Wilde spoke out over firing Shia LaBeouf from Don’t Worry Darling (Picture: Getty)
After LaBeouf’s exit, he was accused of sexual battery and abuse by ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs, who claimed that he abused her ‘physically, emotionally and mentally many times in a relationship that lasted just short of a year’ – something he has denied,
She filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2020, with the case set to be heard in 2023.
Wilde publicly backed the Two Weeks singer on social media, offering her ‘love, respect and support’ on Instagram.
‘A lot came to light after this happened that really troubled me, in terms of his behavior,’ the OC actress continued to Variety. ‘I find myself just really wishing him health and evolution because I believe in restorative justice.
The actor left the project shortly after production started (Picture: Getty)
Harry Styles eventually took on the role (Picture: Getty)
‘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 to be in very vulnerable situations, and my priority was making her feel safe and making her feel supported.’
‘We found the perfect Jack, and luckily, it’s kind of magical that it ended up being our first choice,’ she added of Styles’ casting.
FKA Twigs – real name Tahliah Debrett Barnett – recently spoke about going public with her allegations against her former partner, explaining that she didn’t want anyone else to be ‘hurt’.
‘I just didn’t want anyone else to get hurt, and that trumped any way that I felt about what people may think about me now, positively or negatively,’ she told GQ.
FKA Twigs sued LaBeouf for abuse in 2020 with the trial set for next year (Picture: Getty)
‘If I ever have children, I want them to know that I stood up for myself, and that’s important. And sometimes, standing up for yourself is messy.
‘Sometimes it can cause more trauma, and sometimes it can be dividing. People don’t expect you to stand up for yourself, but I did and I’m proud of it, and what happened to me wasn’t right.’
In response to her initial allegations, LaBeouf told the New York Times: ‘I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel.
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‘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.’
He later emailed the publication to add that ‘many of these allegations are not true’, but that women should have ‘the opportunity to air their statements publicly’ and said he owed them to ‘accept accountability for those things I have done’.
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