A complete breakdown of the Harry Styles, Florence Pugh, and Olivia Wilde Don’t Worry Darling drama

For months now, speculation has swirled about what exactly went down on the set of Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling; there was talk of a feud between director Olivia and main star Florence Pugh, rumors of pay disputes, and even allegations that Olivia’s romance with singer Harry Styles made crew members ‘uncomfortable’.

While much speculation has swirled about the behind-the-scenes scandals, little light has been shed on what sparked the sensational drama… until now. 

It was recently claimed that leading lady Florence and on-screen lover Harry shared an off-screen ‘kiss’ during filming – a revelation that begs the question: Was that innocent smooch to blame for all the resulting uproar? 

A nanny who used to look after Olivia and her ex Jason Sudeikis’ two children – Otis, eight, and Daisy, six – alleged to DailyMail.com last week that the actress, 38, had complained to her then-fiancé, 47, that Harry, 28, and Florence, 26, were hooking up behind-the-scenes, something an insider has now reiterated to The Sun. 

‘Harry and Florence had chemistry from the off, which translated incredibly well on-screen. One night they had a bit of a snog, all very light-hearted and a bit of fun, and that was that,’ the anonymous insider told the outlet.

According to the source, Florence and her ex-boyfriend Zach Braff had already gone their separate ways when she got involved with Harry, despite not going public with their split until months later. The insider added that Harry was ‘very much single at the time’ and that there ‘was no cheating or misbehavior from anyone.’

However, the source claimed that when Harry and Olivia started spending more time together later on during the filming, they realized they had ‘a real connection’ – which reportedly left Florence unhappy.

The insider stated that there was ‘already tension between the two women,’ and when photos emerged of Harry and Olivia holding hands in early January at his manager, Jeff Azoff’s wedding, it was the final straw. 

‘Later on, Harry and Olivia started spending more time together – sneaking off for coffees, hanging out in one another’s trailers, and sharing small, routine intimacies,’ they explained.

‘It was clear to all they had a real connection. When they were pictured holding hands for the first time, Florence wasn’t too happy. There was already tension between the two women and this undoubtedly fanned the flames.’

While the drama that was seemingly unfolding on set was kept hidden from the outside world at the time, people eventually started to theorize that something was amiss months later, when Florence didn’t promote the movie online while the rest of the cast gushed about it nonstop.

And in the few rare interviews that she did regarding the movie, the actress didn’t have the best things to say about it; in one interview, after the trailer came out, she seemingly slammed the preview for ‘reducing’ the movie to just ‘sex scenes,’ and in another, she praised her character, Alice, for fighting back, adding that it was something she had to do ‘off camera’ too.

Things got worse then Olivia claimed that she had fired actor Shia LaBeouf – who was meant to play Florence’s love interest, Jack, but was later replaced by Harry – after she said Florence voiced concerns over working with him; but Shia told a different story, and shared a video that he had received from Olivia before his departure, in which she said Florence needed a ‘wake-up call.’

The problems even trickled into the premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August, when onlookers were quick to notice visible tension between the two women on the red carpet.

Now, as rumors of Harry and Florence’s alleged relationship come to the surface, FEMAIL has broken down the entire Don’t Worry Darling drama from start to finish. 

From Olivia and Shia’s spat over why he left the movie to the House star’s whirlwind romance with Harry, which allegedly left Florence scathing, here’s a recap of the scandal that rocked the set of the movie – and garnered the attention of many people around the world.

Olivia and Shia’s row: The director claimed she fired the actor from the movie after Florence became ‘uncomfortable’ with his behavior, but he accused her of lying for ‘clickbait’

The drama first began months before Harry was even cast in Don’t Worry Darling; Olivia had originally chosen Shia to play the role of Jack, but in September 2020, before filming kicked off, the actor suddenly cut ties with the movie.

At the time, it was reported that he had dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, but the real reason that he left has been the subject of scandal as it was brought into question in recent months.

In August 2022, Olivia told Variety that she fired him after discovering that his ‘process’ was ‘not conductive to the ethos she demanded in her production.’

‘He has a process that, in some ways, seems to require a combative energy, and I don’t personally believe that is conducive to the best performances,’ she said.

‘I believe that creating a safe, trusting environment is the best way to get people to do their best work. Ultimately, my responsibility is to the production and to the cast to protect them. That was my job.’ 

However, Shia had a different take on what happened. He responded to Olivia’s claims days later, alleging in an email to Variety that he ‘quit due to lack of rehearsal time’ – and the star even provided alleged text messages between him and Olivia from the weeks before his departure.

According to the texts, Shia and Olivia met in person to discuss his exit on August 16, 2020. Later that night, she texted him, ‘Thanks for letting me in on your thought process. I know that isn’t fun. Doesn’t feel good to say no to someone, and I respect your honesty. 

‘I’m honored you were willing to go there with me, for me to tell a story with you. I’m gutted because it could have been something special. I want to make clear how much it means to me that you trust me. That’s a gift I’ll take with me.’

He told the outlet that he ‘officially’ quit via email the next morning, and provided a video that Olivia had sent him afterwards, in which she stated that she was ‘not ready to give up on him yet.’

She also alluded to tension between Shia and Florence, saying, ‘I am heartbroken and I want to figure this out. 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?’

Shia, who was accused of sexual battery and assault by his ex-girlfriend singer FKA Twigs months after his departure from the film, also copied Variety on an email he sent to Olivia following her allegations that he was fired. 

He wrote in the email to Olivia: ‘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. 

‘I know that you are beginning your press run for DWD and that the news of my firing is attractive clickbait, as I am still persona-non-grata and may remain as such for the rest of my life. 

‘But, speaking of my daughter, I often think about the news articles she will read when she is literate. And though I owe, and will owe for the rest of my life, I only owe for my actions. 

‘This situation with your film and my “firing” will never have a court date with which to deal with the facts. If lies are repeated enough in the public they become truth. 

‘And so, it makes it that much harder for me to crawl out of the hole I have dug with my behaviors, to be able to provide for my family. 

‘Firing me never took place, Olivia. And while I fully understand the attractiveness of pushing that story because of the current social landscape, the social currency that brings, it is not the truth. 

‘So I am humbly asking, as a person with an eye toward making things right, that you correct the narrative as best you can. I hope none of this negatively effects you, and that your film is successful in all the ways you want it to be.’

Olivia later doubled down on her claims to Vanity Fair. The outlet reported, ‘During pre-production, Wilde tells me Pugh told her that she was uncomfortable with LaBeouf’s behavior. Wilde says she called LaBeouf herself and fired him.’

‘My responsibility was towards her. I’m like a mother wolf. Making the call was tricky, but in a way he understood,’ she told them.

‘I don’t think it would’ve been a process he enjoyed. He comes at his work with an intensity that can be combative. It wasn’t the ethos that I demand in my productions. 

‘I want him to get well and to evolve because I think it’s a great loss to the film industry when someone that talented is unable to work.

‘This issue is so much more nuanced than can be explained in private texts released out of context. All I’ll say is he was replaced, and there was no going forward with him. I wish him the best in his recovery.’

During an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, she defended herself over the matter once again, telling the talk show host that she ‘tried to mediate a situation between people to try to see if they could work together happily.’

‘Once it became clear that it was not a tenable working relationship, I was given an ultimatum,’ she added. ‘I chose my actress, which I’m very happy I did.

‘At the time, was I bummed that we weren’t able to make it work? Yes. Did information about him come to light later that made me confident we made the right decision? Yes.’ 

Olivia and Harry’s romance: The House star and the One Direction member fell in love on set of the movie, but their relationship allegedly didn’t go over well with Florence

Harry soon entered the scene, joining the cast of the movie in September 2020; and Olivia stated at the time that she and costume designer Arianne Phillips ‘did a little victory dance’ when he agreed to take part in the movie.

‘She and I did a little victory dance when we heard that we officially had Harry in the film, because we knew that he has a real appreciation for fashion and style,’ she gushed to Vogue.

‘And this movie is incredibly stylistic. It’s very heightened and opulent, and I’m really grateful that he is so enthusiastic about that element of the process – some actors just don’t care.’

Filming kicked off in October 2020, and one month later, Olivia announced that she and Jason had gone their separate ways after 10 years together.

When the actress was spotted holding hands with the former One Direction member months later, rumors started to swirl that she had cheated on her fiancé with the British superstar, however, she has repeatedly denied that she was unfaithful to Jason.   

‘The complete horses**t idea that I left Jason for Harry is completely inaccurate,’ she told Vanity Fair.

Regardless of how their romance started, sources have claimed that it upset Florence, with one insider telling Page Six back in July, ‘Flo seeing Olivia and Harry all over each other on set did not go down well.’

A source also told Vulture that Olivia and Florence once got into a ‘screaming match’ over Olivia’s ‘frequent, unexplained absences’ on set, during which she’d ‘disappear’ to spend time with Harry. 

Florence’s back-handed comments about the movie: The actress slammed the numerous sex scenes in the trailer amid rumors that Harry was paid three times more than her 

Filming wrapped in February, and in the months that followed, everyone was quick to notice that Florence was staying tight lipped about the movie, and was sparsely posting about it on her social media accounts.

And when she seemingly expressed annoyance about the numerous sex scenes in the trailer for the film during an interview with Harper’s Bazaar in August, it fueled rumors that she was not a fan of the flick.

‘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,’ she said, while discussing the preview with the outlet.

‘It’s not why I’m in this industry. Obviously, the nature of hiring the most famous pop star in the world, you’re going to have conversations like that.

‘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.’

In addition, Florence was asked what she found ‘inspiring’ in the film during an appearance in September, and she seemed to hint at the drama in her answer. 

‘I think it’s very very inspiring to see a woman push back and say “no,” and question everything. It’s very exciting to see a woman do that on and off camera,’ she responded. 

Reports also emerged that Harry – who had only starred in one movie, Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk in 2017, before he was cast in Don’t Worry Darling – was paid three times more than his Oscar-nominated co-star Florence.

Showbiz Galore claimed the the Midsomer star was paid $700,000 for the role, while the Watermelon Sugar star was given $2.5million, but Olivia has claimed this was not the case.

She told Variety: ‘There has been a lot out there that I largely don’t pay attention to. But the absurdity of invented clickbait and subsequent reaction regarding a nonexistent pay disparity between our lead and supporting actors really upset me. 

‘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.’ 

The director has also continuously gushed over Florence amid their rumored feud, calling her ‘sensational,’ ‘brave,’ and a ‘superhero’ in numerous interviews while discussing the movie.

‘I have nothing but respect for Florence’s talent,’ she also said during her Late Show appearance. ‘She’s fantastic. I have nothing against her for any reason.’

The Venice Film Festival tension: Things came to a head when Olivia and Florence attended the red carpet premiere and refused to make eye contact

Despite Olivia’s positive comments about Florence, rumors that they were on bad terms were fueled when it came time for the cast to promote the movie, as Florence revealed in a statement that she would not be doing press for Don’t Worry Darling.

While she said it was because she was busy filming the sequel to Dune, a source told Us Weekly, ‘Florence and Olivia have had several disagreements personally and professionally—that’s why Florence isn’t doing any press for the movie.’

Florence did attend the Venice Film Festival premiere for the flick, but she skipped the photo call that everyone else in the cast attended hours earlier.

And while some thought this was more proof of her and Olivia’s tension, the director attempted to shut these rumors down during the event.

‘Florence is a force. We are so grateful she’s able to make it tonight [for the red carpet] despite being in production on Dune,’ Olivia said at the time. 

‘I know, as a director, how disruptive it is to lose an actor even for a day, so I’m very grateful to her and to [Dune director Denis Villeneuve] for helping us. 

‘And we’ll get to celebrate her work tonight. I can’t say how honored I am to have her as our lead. She’s amazing. As for all the endless tabloid gossip and all the noise out there, the internet feeds itself. I don’t feel the need to contribute; I think it’s sufficiently well-nourished.’

During the premiere, the internet went wild analyzing the two women’s every moves, and some people noticed a few icy interactions between them – Florence seemed to avoid eye contact with Olivia and walked away in the middle of the cast’s standing ovation. Plus, when her stylist shared a photo of Florence at the event, her caption raised a lot of eyebrows.

‘Miss Flo,’ the makeup artist captioned the post, seemingly referring the now-infamous video that Shia had shared with Variety, in which Olivia referred to the actress as ‘Miss Flo.’ 

Where they stand now: Florence finally had something good to say about the movie after its release, while Olivia has continuously denied their rift

Despite the continued talk of all the drama on set, Don’t Worry Darling’s cinematographer, Matthew Libatique, told Hollywood Reporter that it was all a bunch of bologna.

‘When I hear that there are rumors of acrimony on the set, I reject it. It wasn’t apparent at all, to be honest,’ he claimed.

‘From my standpoint, the stories are completely untrue when it comes to being on-set. I can’t speak to postproduction at all.

‘Whatever happened, it happened way after I left… I was never witness to anything. And I didn’t feel anything. You know, you get a feeling that there might be something going on, and I didn’t feel anything.’

In addition, a total of 40 individuals who worked on the movie, including producer Miri Yoon, came forward to release a joint statement obtained by DailyMail.com after the movie came out, in an attempt to ‘correct’ the ‘absurd’ and ‘completely false’ claims that were made about the set.

‘As a crew, we’ve avoided addressing the absurd gossip surrounding the movie we’re so proud of, but feel the need to correct the anonymous “sources” quoted in a recent article,’ the statement began.

‘Any allegations about unprofessional behavior on the set of are completely false. Olivia is an incredible leader and director who was present with and involved in every aspect of production. 

‘She ran this set with class and respect for everyone involved. There was never a screaming match between our director and anyone, let alone a member of our cast.’

Florence praised the flick after its release in September, writing on Instagram, ‘This film was such an epic story on such a large scale to shoot, all while during peak COVID times. For that I will always be grateful. To all of you who helped make this, your dedication and love was seen daily – thank you.’

In an interview with Elle earlier this month, Olivia also addressed their feud once again, while claiming that her ‘life was torn to shreds’ by the public as a result of all the scrutiny over the flick.

Although she did not address any of the scandals specifically during her interview, she slammed the number of ‘untruths’ about her life that have been shared in recent months, and compared all the talk surrounding the movie to being on ‘a reality show.’

‘It is shocking to see so many untruths about yourself traded as fact,’ she told the publication. ‘Florence had a really wise comment that we didn’t sign up for a reality show, and I love that she put it that way, because it’s as though the general public feels that if you are making something that you’re selling to the public, you somehow have accepted that your life will be torn to shreds by a pack of wolves. No, that’s actually not part of the job description. Never was.’