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In an interview with Variety, Don't Worry Darling's director Olivia Wilde opened up about her casting choices, stating that Shia LaBeouf was cast in the lead role instead of Harry Styles due to the latter's scheduling conflicts.
Wilde told the publication that she had to part ways with LaBeouf in the early stages of production due to his "combative energy." Elaborating on this, the director also opened up about the lawsuit filed against LaBeouf by his former partner FKA Twigs who claimed being abused by the Honey Boy actor. Wilde said:
"A lot came to light after this happened that really troubled me, in terms of his behavior... For our film, what we really needed was an energy that was incredibly supportive."
FKA Twigs, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, accused ex-partner Shia LaBeouf of intimate partner violence. The singer filed a lawsuit against LaBeouf in December 2020.
Exploring the domestic violence accusations against Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf and ex-partner FKA Twigs met on the sets of Honey Boy and dated from 2018 to 2019. In the lawsuit, Twigs notified that LaBeouf knowingly passed on a s*xually transmitted disease to her. She also accused the actor of “relentless abuse" and emotional distress.
Twigs reflected on her life becoming a "living nightmare" when she and LaBeouf started their relationship. The singer noted that LaBeouf groomed her by "gradually gaining her trust but with the intent of abusing her.”
The lawsuit also states that Twigs endured a “continuous stream” of verbal and mental abuse while Shia LaBeouf allegedly belittled and berated her. The actor reportedly even turned physical and “increasingly violent.”
In an episode of the podcast Grounded with Louis Theroux, Twigs asserted that she felt "controlled," "confused," and "low" while being in a relationship with him. She stated:
"I felt so controlled, and I felt so confused and I felt so low, beneath myself that the fear of even leaving and knowing I had all this work to do to get back to just feeling okay, it was completely overwhelming."
In an interview with British GQ, LaBeouf's former partner also opened up about the alleged domestic abuse experience that she had to face. She spoke about when she filed a lawsuit against ex-boyfriend Shia LaBeouf in December 2020. FKA Twigs said:
"One of the greatest achievements of the whole of my life was keeping (myself) together. It was one of the things that I’m most proud of, that I was able to go on tour and do interviews and stay graceful and keep that calmness... I don’t even know if it’s right or wrong that I was able to do that."
Responding to the lawsuit, Shia LaBeouf sent an email to The New York Times stating that he was "not in any position to tell anyone" how his behavior made others feel. He further wrote:
"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.”
However, his legal team responded to the lawsuit in February 2021 while denying every assault allegation made against him.
Further comments from Olivia Wilde on removing Shia LaBeouf from Don't Worry Darling
In a recent interview with Variety, Wilde also stated that the decision to remove LaBeouf was taken to make Florence Pugh "feel safe" and "supported." Later, as the pandemic hit, Harry Styles was able to finally arrange dates to star in the movie, after which he was cast as Jack, the suspicious husband of a suburban housewife, Alice, played by Florence Pugh.
Wilde further added:
"I say this as someone who is such an admirer of his (Shia LaBeouf) work; his process was not conducive to the ethos that I demand in my productions... 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.”
After parting ways with Don't Worry Darling, Shia LaBeouf has been cast in Abel Ferrara’s Padre Pio. Meanwhile, Don't Worry Darling is slated to release on September 23, 2022.
