Olivia Wilde has opened up about Shia La Beouf's controversial exit from her upcoming movie 'Don't Worry Darling'.
The psychological thriller - which stars Harry Styles and Florence Pugh - follows a 1950s couple who move into an experimental utopian community in California.
Directed by Wilde, the film is due to screen at the Venice Film Festival next month. Despite not yet being released, the movie has been making headlines since September 2020, when it was announced that Transformers star Shia LaBeouf had been kicked off the project in favor of Styles.
At the time, it was claimed that scheduling conflicts were the reason for the casting change. However, in an interview with Variety, Wilde revealed that in fact, it was safety concerns that led her to fire LaBeouf from the movie.
The actor-turned-director explained that her film needed someone "incredibly supportive" because "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."
She went on to say that - while she is an admirer of LaBeouf - she felt that his process was too aggressive for the role.
"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," Wilde 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," she added.
Since being dropped from Don't Worry Darling, LaBeouf has been sued for sexual battery by his ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs and charged with petty theft. Last year, a court ordered the Honey Boy star to attend anger management and therapy to avoid a stint behind bars.
Don't Worry Darling is Wilde's second outing as a director, after the critically successful teen comedy Booksmart (2019). It is set to be released in theaters on September 23.