Phoebe Waller-Bridge explains why she quit Amazon’s Mr & Mrs Smith series: ‘Some marriages don’t work out’

‘Fleabag’ star left the Donald Glover-conceived TV series in 2022, while in its pre-production stages

Phoebe Waller-Bridge has addressed her departure from the Amazon series Mr & Mrs Smith.

The creator and star of Fleabag was announced as part of a serialised adaptation of the married spy story, as first portrayed in the steamy 2005 movie by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

She and Donald Glover were attached to star in the project, as well as write and contribute to the creative team. However, in September 2021, Waller-Bridge exited the project, with her departure explained as the result of “creative differences”.

In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Waller-Bridge, 37, assured the publication that the split was amicable and came from her not wanting to be an obstacle in others’ plans for the programme.

“I worked on that show for six months fully in heart and mind and really cared about it – still care about it,” she said.

“And I know it’s gonna be brilliant. But sometimes it’s about knowing when to leave the party. You don’t want to get in the way of a vision.”

After saying that creative collaboration is “like a marriage”, she added: “And some marriages don’t work out.”

She also confirmed that her creative deal with Amazon was still intact after reports earlier this year highlighted that she had not yet produced anything for the streaming studio, despite having an agreement allegedly worth $20m per year.

Glover, 41, and Waller-Bridge first worked together on the 2018 Star Wars spin-off, Solo: A Star Wars Story. The Atlanta creator came up with the concept for a reboot of Mr & Mrs Smith before presenting it to Waller-Bridge.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)

Later in the Vanity Fair piece, published on Tuesday (27 June), Waller-Bridge acquiesced to being called “creatively controlling” rather than a perfectionist.

“What I look for in something is that little bit of electricity, of danger or saying something, doing something that hasn’t been done before,” she said.

“If I don’t feel that, I can plough and plough and plough, I just won’t make it.”

According to the Fleabag star, Amazon Studios have been understanding of her process of getting things to a high standard: “They’ve been with me along this process where I’m like, ‘I’m getting there, but I want it to be f***ing amazing.”

Filming for Mr & Mrs Smith began in 2022, with Maya Erskine now in the role of Jane Smith to Glover’s John Smith. A release date for the series is yet to be confirmed.