Beef behind the scenes. Olivia Wilde hasn’t been getting along with Florence Pugh, the star of her film Don’t Worry Darling, which premieres on September 23.
“Florence and Olivia have had several disagreements personally and professionally, that’s why Florence isn’t doing any press for the movie,” a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. According to a report by The Wrap, the 26-year-old Little Women star’s press engagements for the film will be limited to the Venice Film Festival premiere and red carpet event.
Wilde’s first directorial project since Booksmart has been surrounded by its fair share of drama leading up to the anticipated release. In an interview with Variety earlier this month, the 38-year-old House alum squashed rumors that Pugh, 26, had been paid significantly less than Harry Styles, her costar in the psychological thriller.
“There has been a lot out there that I largely don’t pay attention to,” the New York native said. “But the absurdity of invented clickbait and subsequent reaction regarding a nonexistent pay disparity between our lead and supporting actors really upset me.”
She continued, “I’m a woman who has been in this business for over 20 years, and it’s something that I have fought for myself and others, especially being a director. There is absolutely no validity to those claims.”
Although Wilde described the film’s sex scenes as “integral,” Pugh raised eyebrows when she commented on the trailer highlighting her intimate moments with Styles, 28.
“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,” the Fighting With My Family actress told Harper’s Bazaar earlier this month. “It’s not why I’m in this industry. … That’s just not what I’m going to be discussing because [this movie is] bigger and better than that. And the people who made it are bigger and better than that.”
Fans have also noticed that the Midsommar star has been largely quiet about the film on social media apart from sharing a short clip earlier this month with the caption, “Not long now! Only in theatres September 23rd.”
Talk of a rift between the director and the Black Widow actress only grew after Shia LaBeouf leaked a video that Wilde allegedly sent him in August 2020. The filmmaker previously told Variety that LaBeouf, 36, lost his role in Don’t Worry Darling because “his process was not conducive to the ethos I demand in my productions,” but the Transformers star slammed the comments, claiming it came down to a “lack of rehearsal time.”
In the video, shared with Variety, the Booksmart director says, “I feel like I’m not ready to give up on this yet, and I too, am heartbroken and I want to figure this out,” allegedly referring to LaBeouf’s departure from the film.
The Gaiety School of Acting alum then refers to the situation as a “bit of a wake-up-call for Miss Flo,” seemingly referencing Pugh.
She continued, “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?”
Contributing to the buzz surrounding the upcoming film is Wilde’s offscreen relationship with the “As It Was” singer. She and Styles were first spotted holding hands in January 2021, two months after she split from her fiancé Jason Sudeikis. This May, the duo were seen enjoying a stroll together in Italy.
“Olivia and Harry love going to Italy together,” an insider told Us of the pair’s getaway. “It’s their favorite place to unwind and reconnect as a couple. They both love the food, the people, the architecture, everything.”
