There was such a flood of surprising news in 2020 that it almost overshadowed an unexpected turn in the next Olivia Wilde flick. The actor-turned-director cast out Shia LaBeouf from his starring part in Don’t Worry Darling. At the time, Warner Bros. gave a scheduling problem as the reason, which we didn’t buy, especially after LaBeouf’s ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs made some disturbing charges and it was reported that the actor was “actively seeking” therapy for addiction and psychological concerns. Over a year later, when she begins the promotional tour for Don’t Worry Darling, Wilde finally opens up about the circumstances that prompted her to conclude LaBeouf wasn’t appropriate for the role, despite the fact that filming had already begun with him.
The filmmaker said in an exclusive interview with Variety that the former Transformers star’s preparation method was a major red flag: And I say it as a huge fan of his work. His method does not align with the integrity I require from my work. His method appears to call for aggressive energy, which, in my opinion, isn’t the best way to get great results from his actors. Putting individuals at ease and inspiring confidence in them is, in my opinion, the key to bringing out their best performance. My loyalty is to the production and the cast, whom I am sworn to safeguard at all costs. It was my responsibility to do it.
Method acting and violent conduct have been part of LaBeouf’s technique, which has been in the news for years and which the actor has acknowledged in interviews. Despite this, Wilde spoke fondly of her former star and highlighted the necessity of his departure:
“After this occurred, a lot of his conduct became clear to me that gave me pause. Because I have faith in restorative justice, I find myself hoping for his well-being and growth. But the most important thing for our movie was an atmosphere of unwavering encouragement. My top aim was always making Florence [Pugh] feel comfortable and supported, especially because I knew I would be asking her to be in really sensitive positions with a film like this.
The science fiction thriller Don’t Worry Darling features Pugh and Harry Styles as a young and seemingly ideal couple in the city of Victory. The peace and quiet of their utopia are threatened when Alice (Pugh) begins to think that there is more going on in their sleepy little village than meets the eye. Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, and Nick Kroll round out the cast.
Synopsis
The couple Alice (Pugh) and Jack (Styles) can count themselves lucky to live in Victory, the experimental business town that is home to the guys who work on the top-secret Victory Project. Everyone’s wants are covered by the corporation, and life is ideal. Unwavering loyalty to the Victory cause is all they ask for in exchange. Alice starts to wonder why they’re in Victory when she sees glimpses of something far darker hiding behind their seemingly perfect lives. How much does Alice stand to lose if she reveals the truth about what’s happening in paradise?