Shia LaBeouf claims he 'quit' Olivia Wilde's 'Don't Worry Darling'
What's the story
Contrary to actor-director Olivia Wilde's recent statements that Shia LaBeouf was fired from Don't Worry Darling, the latter has claimed he "quit" and wasn't "fired." Wilde opened up to Variety about her decision to replace LaBeouf with Harry Styles due to his "process" of preparing for a role and to keep Florence Pugh "safe." Now, LaBeouf has revealed his actual reason behind exiting DWD.
Allegation
Wilde wanted to create 'safe, trusting environment' for her cast
Earlier this month, Wilde chatted with Variety about LaBeouf and said, "His process was not conducive to the ethos that I demand in my productions." She added that his "process" required "combative energy" and that she believed that "creating a safe, trusting environment is the best way to get people to do their best work." Wilde added she also needed to "protect" her cast.
Response
LaBeouf claimed he quit due to lack of rehearsal time
However, LaBeouf has now denied Wilde's claims and reportedly penned two emails to her for his clarification. He wrote, "You and I both know the reasons for my exit. I quit your film because your actors & I couldn't find time to rehearse." He also claimed the "firing" news was an "attractive clickbait" for her film's promotional campaigns since he was considered a "persona-non-grata."
Clarification
He requested Wilde to 'correct the narrative'
LaBeouf also noted his exit date as August 17, 2020, in his emails and also said he was 627 days sober, addressing Wilde's comments on what transpired over two years ago. "Firing me never took place, Olivia," he reportedly wrote, adding, "I am humbly asking, as a person with an eye toward making things right, that you correct the narrative as best you can."
Information
Actor circulated text messages, videos of conversation with Wilde
Further backing his story, LaBeouf reportedly attached screenshots of his conversation with Wilde and video messages. Before he quit, Wilde allegedly wrote to LaBeouf saying she was thankful for his honesty, but was "gutted" about him not being a part of the film. In another video shared by the actor, Wilde reportedly said his exit could be a "wake-up call for Miss Flo [Pugh]."