Shia LaBeouf ‘fired from new film’ in favour of Harry Styles ‘for poor behaviour’

Actor was this month accused of ‘relentless abuse’ by ex-girlfriend FKA twigs

Shia LaBeouf was “fired” from a forthcoming movie in favour of Harry Styles, after allegedly demonstrating “poor behaviour”.

According to Variety, LaBeouf was originally cast in Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling, where he would have starred alongside Florence Pugh and Chris Pine. However, the actor was dropped from the film after allegedly being “off-putting” during pre-production.

“Insiders close to the project say LaBeouf displayed poor behaviour and his style clashed with the cast and crew, including Wilde, who ultimately fired him,” the report claims.

A source close to the film further alleged that LaBeouf was “off-putting” and “not an easy guy to work with”.

Styles, who made his acting debut in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, was subsequently drafted in to replace him.

Neither LaBeouf, Wilde nor New Line Cinema, the film’s backers, responded to Variety’s calls for comment. The Independent has reached out to LaBeouf’s representatives for comment.

In early December, LaBeouf was sued by the musician FKA twigs, who was formerly his girlfriend. Twigs, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, accused the actor of “relentless abuse”, including sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress.

“I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behaviour made them feel,” LaBeouf wrote in a statement to The New York Times.

“I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalisations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”

Musician Sia, who cast LaBeouf in her video for “Elastic Heart”, voiced her support for Twigs, while alleging that LaBeouf had “conned [her] into an adulterous relationship”.

Sia further elaborated on her past interactions with LaBeouf in a subsequent interview, in which she revealed that she had initially wanted to cast the actor in her forthcoming directorial debut, Music. She would ultimately cast Kate Hudson instead, Sia explained.

LaBeouf next appears in the Netflix film Pieces of a Woman. Netflix, however, this week (21 December) quietly removed LaBeouf’s name from their awards consideration website.