Olivia Wilde previously maintained her silence about Shia LaBeouf’s exit from “Don’t Worry Darling.” But, in a recent interview, she spoke about the situation and explained her decision to fire the actor.
Speaking to Variety for a cover story published this week, the 38-year-old celebrity shared that the “Transformers” actor’s “process was not conducive to the ethos” that she demands, as a director, in her productions. She noted that while she is an “admirer of his work,” the actor “has a process that… seems to require a combative energy,” adding that she does not personally believe that it is “conducive to the best performances.”
People, in its recent piece covering the “In Time” actress’s statements, noted that initial reports of Shia LaBeouf’s exit said it was due to a conflict in schedules. But, it later confirmed that he was fired, a revelation that first emerged following a lawsuit brought against him by his former partner FKA Twigs.
Olivia Wilde shared in her cover story that “a lot came to light after this happened that really troubled [her], in terms of [LaBeouf’s] behavior. But, she stated that she wishes him “health and evolution because [she] believes in restorative justice.”
For “Don’t Worry Darling,” however, the director pointed out that what they needed was an “incredibly supportive” energy.
The magazine quoted Wilde, explaining, “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.”
In the same exchange, the “TRON: Legacy” actress also emphasized her beliefs in “creating a safe, trusting environment” on the set. She said, for her, it is “the best way to get people to do their best work,” adding that “ultimately,” as the director of “Don’t Worry Darling,” it is her “responsibility to the production and to the cast to protect them.”
Elsewhere in the interview for Variety, Olivia Wilde talked about her experiences working with Florence Pugh, as well as teaming up with her to find the actor who would play Jack.
The publication said that Harry Styles was the “Lazarus Effect” star and the Marvel actress’s first choice. While the former reportedly liked the artist’s work in “Dunkirk,” the latter is said to have felt “enthusiastic about the idea” of the singer joining the cast.
But, the One Direction member was touring and unavailable at the time. Eventually, Shia LaBeouf initially landed the part of Jack.
Following the series of events, though, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the cancellation of Styles’ tour, the production found “the perfect Jack.” Wilde said, “it’s kind of magical that it ended up being [their] first choice.”