No movie has been a bigger node of controversy in recent weeks than Olivia Wilde‘s sophomore feature, “Don’t Worry Darling.” And now that its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival has come and gone, let’s hope that the drama surrounding this film finally dissipates. Critics didn’t love it, nothing juicy happened on the red carpet or at the screening, and it’s time for everyone to move on.
READ MORE: Olivia Wilde Address All Of The ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ Gossip …Again
That appears to be the tactic Shia LaBeouf wants to take now. The Hollywood Reporter reports that in an email exchange with the news outlet, LaBeouf gracefully dismissed a question about Wilde’s new Vanity Fair article where she details how the actor left “Don’t Worry Darling.” In that article, Wilde says that LaBeouf gave her an ultimatum to choose between him and co-star Florence Pugh. Wilde chose Pugh, ostensibly firing LaBeouf, but LaBeouf left the production of his own volition. LaBeouf’s response to THR’s query? “It is what it is — every blessing to her and her film.”
A curt response like that hints that LaBeouf wants to move on from this situation. And so say all of us, Mr. LaBeouf. But it’s a welcome act of maturity after LaBeouf’s outburst about his exit from “Don’t Worry Darling” to media outlets a couple of weeks ago during the lead-up to Venice. Two Fridays ago, LaBeouf went to press to dismiss Wilde’s claims that she fired him from the film due to his combative energy, instead claiming that he quit because of his frustration with the pre-production schedule. Now, he’s singing a different tune, or at least refusing to fan the flames on the trash-fire that is this movie’s deranged promotional campaign. And the sooner things die down, the better.
“Don’t Worry Darling” still has its US theatrical release on September 23: two weeks away for those counting. So maybe there’s another wave of drama before the film hits theaters, perhaps about why Pugh has distanced herself from the film. But, in all likelihood, Pugh probably already did what LaBeouf is now apparently doing. She’s put some distance between her and this movie, which has too much drama swirling around it. It’s time for new projects for her and LaBeouf to make and new movies for Hollywood to talk about.
