On Friday’s episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Behind the Screen” podcast, cinematographer Matthew Libatique was asked to weigh in on the rumored drama between Wilde, who directed the film, and Pugh, who plays the lead role.
“I have to say this was probably the most harmonious set I’ve ever been on,” said Libatique, who first met Wilde while working on “Cowboys and Aliens” in 2009. “Olivia built a team that believed in her and she believed in each and everybody on the set.”
“When I hear that there were rumors of acrimony on the set, I reject it. It wasn’t apparent at all, to be honest,” he said. “Whatever happened, it happened way after I left and started doing something else.”
Libatique’s view comes months after reports of a feud between Wilde and Pugh first surfaced. In July, Page Six reported that Pugh fell out with the director due to her relationship with Harry Styles, who replaced Shia Labeouf after his controversial exit from the film.
The couple was romantically linked by People magazine two months after Wilde and actor Jason Sudeikis, who share two children, announced their separation.
An anonymous insider told Page Six at the time that Pugh grew displeased with Wilde after she and Styles were “all over each other on set.”
The closer the film got to its September 23 release date, the more rumors swirled about just how much tension there was during filming, which carried on as the cast began promotion.
Noticeably, Pugh promoted the film minimally on her social media and was not photographed interacting with Wilde when the cast appeared on the red carpet at Venice Film Festival in August. While Pugh has yet to comment on the speculated fall-out, Wilde addressed the rumors during a press conference for the movie at the festival.
“As for all the endless tabloid gossip and all the noise out there, the internet feeds itself,” Wilde said. “I don’t feel the need to contribute; I think it’s sufficiently well-nourished.”
Doubling down on his view in the podcast, Libatique said he neither witnessed anything nor felt any tension while he was working on “Don’t Worry Darling.”
“From my standpoint, the stories are completely untrue when it comes to being on set,” he added. “I can’t speak to post-production at all.”
Libatique took time in the interview to praise both Pugh and Wilde individually. With Wilde, he said he enjoys working with her because it “doesn’t feel like business.”
On Pugh, Libatique said he felt “so lucky” to be able to work with her: “If people give me credit because Florence looks beautiful because of the light, it’s not because of the light – it’s because she’s a movie star.”
And as “Don’t Worry Darling” nears its release date, its reception has been met with mixed reviews, Insider previously reported.
Nonetheless, The New York Times reports that the Warner Bros. marketing for the film is going ahead as planned. According to the publication, Wilde is set to be part of a live question-and-answer session after an IMAX screening of the movie on Monday, which Pugh won’t be attending.