CLASHES ON THE CANALS
Tensions were high as Hollywood’s biggest names stepped out for the Venice Film Festival
While reviews for this year’s most anticipated film, Don’t Worry Darling, have been less than favourable, it’s not the drama’s plot or performances that have nabbed attention. Instead, the behind-thescenes drama has overtaken any talk of the movie itself!
For months, rumours of in-cast fighting have swirled and reached a crescendo when the film’s director Olivia Wilde and her lead actor – and boyfriend – Harry Styles arrived in Venice for the premiere last week.
FEUDING CAST
Lead actress Florence Pugh had tongues wagging when she skipped the movie’s press conference, which was attended by the rest of the cast, following widespread rumours she and Olivia butted heads during filming.
Whispers of on-set complications began in June when Florence, 26, had nothing but “deafening silence” for Olivia’s glowing review of her work as fans were convinced she was also refusing to promote the film, preferring instead to plug her other projects.
Things quickly became more complicated when it was revealed Olivia, 38, had met her now-boyfriend, 28-yearold Harry Styles on the set of the film, when he was cast in the lead male role.
Many fans criticised the pair for appearing to cross professional boundaries, with some reports claiming that Harry might have been one of the reasons Olivia called off her seven-year engagement to Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis.
Last month, the drama ignited publicly when Olivia said she fired lead actor Shia Labeouf, 36, only for him to claim he quit of his own volition because of conflicts on set.
HE SAID, SHIA SAID
In a recent profile with Variety, Olivia claimed that Shia’s “creative process... seems to require a combative energy, and I don’t personally believe that is conducive”.
Shia then went on to refute Olivia’s claims that he was fired from the film. The former child star forwarded emails to Variety that he’d sent to Olivia after the interview was published.
“You and I both know the reasons for my exit,” he said. “I quit your film because your actors and I couldn’t find time to rehearse.”
Fans were sceptical of Shia’s response until he leaked a video of Olivia, in which she begged him to come back to the project and spoke very condescendingly of Florence – even referring to her as “Miss Flo” in the footage.
To cap off the saga, Harry’s name was plastered across headlines last week following the Venice premiere when he appeared to avoid getting close to Olivia.
In a clip that gained plenty of traction from fans on Twitter, Harry is asked to move next to Olivia on the red carpet. However, he appears to not want to, fuelling whispers the pair have ended their controversial coupling.