Shia LaBeouf is shutting down Olivia Wilde’s claim.
The 36-year-old actor spoke out after the 38-year-old actress/director addressed Shia being fired before production started in 2020 in a new interview with Variety. Olivia said in the interview:
“I say this as someone who is such an admirer of his work. His process was not conducive to the ethos that I demand in my productions. 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. 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.”
Shia clapped back after the story was published, forwarding Variety two emails he sent to Olivia. He wrote in part:
“What inspired this email today is your latest Variety story… I am a little confused about the narrative that I was fired. You and I both know the reasons for my exit. I quit your film because your actors and I couldn’t find time to rehearse.
Firing me never took place, Olivia. And while I fully understand the attractiveness of pushing that story because of the currents social landscape, the social currency that brings. It is not the truth.”
He also sent screenshots of messages he sent to her back in August 2020, where he was telling her that he’d have to back out of the movie. According to Variety, the texts were send even before producers realized what Shia’s process entailed.
Shia included a video that Olivia is said to have sent him on August 19, 2020, which was two days after he claimed he quit. In Olivia’s video to Shia, she can be heard saying:“I wanted to reach out because I feel like I’m not ready to give up on this yet, and I, too, am heartbroken and I want to figure this out.”
She referenced the movie’s star Florence Pugh:
“You know, I think this might be a bit of a wake-up call for Miss Flo, and I want to know if you’re open to giving this a shot with me, with us. If she really commits, if she really puts her mind and heart into it at this point and if you guys can make peace — and I respect your point of view, I respect hers — but if you guys can do it, what do you think? Is there hope? Will you let me know? Okay, bye.”
