All eyes were on the Don’t Worry Darling premiere at Venice Film Festival, with fans watching Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pine and Florence Pugh’s every move over the weekend – and Us Weekly is breaking down the biggest moments.
Going into Labor Day weekend, the internet was buzzing about whether Pugh would attend the Monday, September 5, screening as the actress has done little to no press for the thriller directed by Wilde, slamming the trailer for being “reduced to [her] sex scenes” via her Harper’s Bazaar cover story. While she was in attendance, she skipped the press conference, opting to fly in later with an Aperol Spritz in hand.
“Florence is a force, and we are so grateful that she’s able to make it tonight despite being in production on Dune,” Wilde told reporters about Pugh on Monday. “I know, as a director, how disruptive it is to lose an actor even for a day, so I’m very grateful to her, to [Dune director] Denis Villeneuve for helping us. And we’re really thrilled we’ll get to celebrate her work tonight. I can’t say enough how honored I am to have her as our lead. She’s amazing in the film.”
According to a source, however, “Florence and Olivia have had several disagreements personally and professionally, that’s why Florence isn’t doing any press for the movie.”
Don’t Worry Darling has been making headlines for nearly two years, beginning when Styles replaced Shia LaBeouf for the role of Jack. While Wilde has asserted that she fired the Even Stevens alum, telling Variety that his “process was not conducive to the ethos that I demand in my productions” as her priority was “creating a safe, trusting environment” for the cast, LaBeouf disagrees.
“You and I both know the reasons for my exit. I quit your film because your actors and I couldn’t find time to rehearse,” the actor wrote in an email to Wilde obtained by the outlet. A video of the former House star telling LaBeouf that she was “heartbroken” and “not ready to give up” on him yet also surfaced.
“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,” Wilde said, referring to Pugh, in August 2020. “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?”
On Monday, The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Ritman reported that the festival “wouldn’t let” him ask a question about LaBeouf at the aforementioned press conference that Pugh skipped.
Styles, meanwhile, raised eyebrows throughout his trip to Italy, seemingly dodging Wilde — his girlfriend — on the carpet and appearing to spit on Pine in a viral clip from the screening.
“The don’t worry darling drama is getting more and more absurd like what do you mean harry styles [spins wheel] spit on [spins wheel] chris pine,” one user tweeted.
Another fan wrote, “The ‘i did not spit on that man’ notes app apology harry styles will soon be forced to tweet is already shaping up to be an all-timer.”
“Do y’all think Chris Pine would just sit there silently if Harry spit on him… be serious,” a third person suggested.
While Don’t Worry Darling doesn’t hit theaters until Friday, September 23, scroll through for more from the highly talked about premiere:
