DON’T Worry Darling was meant to be the film that transformed Harry Styles from plucky One Direction pin-up into Hollywood’s new leading man.
By starring alongside in-demand actress Florence Pugh and Star Trek’s Chris Pine in the much-anticipated psychological thriller, the former boyband member’s credentials as a serious performer would only be bolstered.
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But the movie’s glitzy world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Monday will be overshadowed by a series of explosive rows over casting, pay, a marital breakdown and criticism of its explicit sex scenes.
Harry — already enjoying a No1 solo album and single this year — only joined the cast at the last moment, replacing Transformers actor Shia LaBeouf, who dropped out just weeks before the shoot began.
Director Olivia Wilde — now Harry’s girlfriend — claimed she sacked Shia to “protect” her cast from the volatile actor’s “combative energy”.
Shia, who was accused by FKA Twigs and Shia of abusing her, responded at the weekend by claiming that he had quit.
This video, which was leaked online, seems to back his claims. He begs Olivia to stay, and takes apparent swipes at his costar. “Miss Flo”.
This clip also fuelled rumors of a bitter fallout between Florence and the director.
Florence plays Alice and Jack (Harry) is an employee of the mysterious Victory Project.
Olivia described the onscreen experience. “extreme passion”Between Harry and Florence, just like the movie Fatal Attraction in which the woman has it all. “pleasure”Her lead actress, however, sees things very differently.
The 26-year-old Oscar-nominated star complained that she didn’t want her performance to be “reduced”Enjoy her romps “the most famous pop star in the world”.
Insiders claim that Florence was unhappy that Olivia, 38, had fallen for Harry (28-year-old) during filming and that she wasn’t being paid the same amount as him.
Judging from the response to the trailer, Americans don’t think the West Midlands-born star earned any credit for his US accent in the California-set movie.
Olivia, however, was full of praises for the new man in her lives and stated: “He didn’t have to join our circus, but he jumped on board with humility and grace, and blew us away every day with his talent.”
The circus got off to a rough start.
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Dakota Johnson, the first Fifty Shades actress for Fifty Shades of Gray, resigned because she was filming on another project. Shia then left August 2020.
Harry had been initially considered for Jack’s part, but couldn’t commit due to touring plans.
However, Covid was suddenly available after he obstructed these.
Despite his biggest role being a minor one in 2017 war film Dunkirk, Harry was given the lead part in the £18million drama.
A month into the shoot, Olivia’s personal life was turned upside down when she broke up with comic actor Jason Sudeikis following a seven-year engagement.
Afterwards Olivia and Harry grew close and went public with their relationship when they held hands at a friend’s wedding in January 2021.
A source told the New York Post that Florence didn’t consider it to be very professional.
An insider stated last month: “I can tell you for a fact that Flo seeing Olivia and Harry all over each other on set did not go down well.”
Any pretence of an amicable break-up between Olivia and Jason, 46, was blown apart when he served court papers on her while she was on stage talking about Don’t Worry Darling in April.
I can confirm that Flo and Harry were not happy about Olivia and Harry squabbling on set
New York Post source
Otis, aged eight, and Daisy, who are five years old, wanted to live with him in New York. Daisy resisted.
Olivia, who divides her time between London & Los Angeles, is determined spend as much time as possible with her children.
After the film ended in February 2021 the director spoke out about her desire for a harmonious set.
Olivia claimed she had an a “no a***holes policy”She took care of her actors.
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A interview she gave Variety magazine last week suggests that Shia was not included in her policy.
She blasted: “A lot came to light after this happened that really troubled me, in terms of his behaviour.
“For our film, what we really needed was an energy that was incredibly supportive.
“Particularly with a movie like this, I knew I was going to be asking Florence to be in very vulnerable situations, and my priority was making her feel safe and supported.”
Shia, however, retorted that “it is not the truth”That he was fired.
The director drives while Shia is asking him to reconsider his decision to leave in a video Olivia sent to him after he quit.
‘Increasingly toxic’
She said “I want to figure this out”And that he was going was a “bit of a wake-up call for Miss Flo”.
Olivia has publicly praised Florence for being the best actress of all time.
The director says that the movie could work if Florence was involved. “really commits, if she really puts her mind and heart into it at this point, and if you guys can make peace.”
Film fans have posted countless negative comments about Olivia’s approach on social media.
They are horrified by the suggestion that self-proclaimed feminist Olivia asked Shia to come back when his female co-star wasn’t happy working alongside him.
A Hollywood source said: “The leaked video is a horrible look for Olivia, who is mortified and furious that her private conversations have been broadcast and that she has been painted as an out and out liar.
“She is dealing with so much stress right now from all angles.
“She’s got this big fire to put out involving Shia and Florence and her custody battle with Jason is getting increasingly toxic and the bills are piling up.
“There’s a ton of pressure on her with the movie release and she’s well aware that Jason and his high-powered Hollywood allies will be willing her to fail even if they don’t publicly admit it.”
Olivia’s brilliant coming-of-age directorial debut Booksmart turned her from a well-known actress, whose movies such as Tron: Legacy and Cowboys & Aliens flopped, into a sought-after film maker.
She has trumpeted Don’t Worry Darling’s “feminist”Approach to sex that allows women to climax more than the guys.
That is demonstrated in the trailer, which shows Harry’s character pleasuring Florence’s on a dining room table.
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Florence retorted in an interview. “the people who made it are bigger and better than that”.
She said: “When it’s reduced to your sex scenes, or to watch the most famous man in the world go down on someone, it’s not why we do it. It’s not why I’m in this industry.”
There are now suggestions Florence isn’t going out of her way to promote Don’t Worry Darling.
She is currently filming Dune 2, a sequel to her sci fi epic Dune.
Olivia, who claims there is no evidence that Harry was paid threefold as much as Florence for accusations made on social media were dismissed by Olivia. “pay disparity”.
Florence, who was Oscar-nominated in Little Women and praised for Midsommar is more deserving of a substantial pay package than Harry, a newcomer to the movie world.
Only September 23 will reveal whether he can perform a performance that wins over his critics.
Olivia must deal with hurtful comments from Harry, a heartthrob Harry is dating.
Shia said this at the end of his extremely critical open letter to Olivia: “I hope none of this negatively affects you, and that your film is successful in all the ways you want it to be.”
If Harry is a good actor his darling probably doesn’t have that much to worry about.
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