Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Actor Shia LaBeouf is rebuking director Olivia Wilde's assertion that she fired him from her upcoming film Don't Worry Darling, instead claiming that he quit the production due to a scheduling conflict.
LaBeouf's comments came following an interview Wilde had with Variety. During the interview, published Wednesday, Wilde claimed that he fired LaBeouf from the production in order to protect lead actress Florence Pugh.
"I say this as someone who is such an admirer of [LaBeouf's] work. His process was not conducive to the ethos that I demand in my productions," she told Variety. "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."
"Particularly with a movie like this, 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," Wilde added.
In an email reportedly forwarded to Variety on Friday, though, LaBeouf said that Wilde's notion of him being fired was false.
LaBeouf instead claimed that he had "quit the film due to lack of rehearsal time" during the film's early stages of production in 2020.
Variety published the email in full, which was reportedly sent by LaBeouf to Wilde following the accusations. LaBeouf wrote to her, "What inspired this email today is your latest Variety story. I am greatly honored by your words on my work; thank you, that felt good to read."
"I am a little confused about the narrative that I was fired, however," the email added. "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," the email went on. "And while I fully understand the attractiveness of pushing that story because of the current social landscape, the social currency that brings. It is not the truth."
LaBeouf reportedly also gave Variety texts that Wilde had sent him after he exited the film, in which she thanked him for his time spent on the project.
"Thanks for letting me in on your thought process. I know that isn't fun. Doesn't feel good to say no to someone, and I respect your honesty," Wilde's texts allegedly said. "Doesn't feel good to say no to someone, and I respect your honesty. I'm honored you were willing to go there with me, for me to tell a story with you. I'm gutted because it could have been something special."
Neither LaBeouf nor Wilde responded to additional requests for comment from Variety following Friday's story.
LaBeouf was eventually replaced in Don't Worry Darling by singer and actor Harry Styles.
The film, a romantic psychological thriller, is scheduled to have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 5, and will have a theatrical release on Sept. 23.
