Olivia Wilde’s video plea to reconcile former “Don’t Worry Darling” actor Shia LaBeouf and current star Florence Pugh leaked online Friday amid further controversy surrounding on-set tension between the film’s stars and director.
Following the proliferation of the 45-second clip, “Miss Flo” — the moniker Wilde uses for the top-billed actress — quickly began trending on Twitter as users admonished the filmmaker’s seemingly dismissive attitude toward Pugh’s concerns.
The video — which, according to Variety, was sent to LaBeouf on Aug. 19, 2020 — sees the “Booksmart” director behind the wheel of a vehicle and asking for the LaBeouf’s return to set, as she’s “not ready to give up on this yet.”
“I, too, am heartbroken and I want to figure this out,” Wilde says in the video, which was purportedly sent to LaBeouf two days after he claimed he quit the film. “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?”
Reps for Wilde did not respond to requests for comment.
The news comes amid TheWrap’s exclusive that Pugh is limiting her promotional press appearances for “Don’t Worry Darling,” thus far only planning for a stop at the Venice Film Festival for the movie’s red carpet premiere. The reasoning cited is the actress’ consecutive shoots for “Dune: Part Two,” currently filming in Budapest, and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” before that.
As all the people involved in the film’s controversies began trending on social media, users called out Wilde for “begging” to keep LaBeouf involved in the project “despite Florence’s resistance to work with a known abuser.” Others stated that the video had them “fuming” and pointed that Wilde’s actions are in direct contrast to her “girlboss feminist” championing of “Don’t Worry Darling.”
LaBeouf is currently being sued by singer FKA Twigs, who has accused him of battery, sexual battery and a “relentless” abusive relationship. In the suit, she describes the graphic assaults she said she faced, including strangulation and fearing that LaBeouf would shoot her. On Friday, the actor appeared on Jon Bernthal’s podcast to own up to the abuse, though he didn’t name Twigs directly.
“I hurt that woman,” he began. “I f—ed up bad. Like crash and burn type s—. [I] hurt a lot of people, and I’m fully aware of that. And I’m going to owe for the rest of my life.”
LaBeouf had faced allegations of explosive behavior years prior, when “Lawless” costar Wasikowska confirmed that reports of his aggressive and “scary, drunken” behavior were “all true.”
“Don’t Worry Darling” is scheduled for theatrical release Sept. 23. In addition to Pugh, it stars Harry Styles in his first major leading role, as well as Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Kate Berlant and Wilde herself. The psychological thriller film is set in a ’50s suburban utopia, where things are not as they seem.
