After continuing to embarrass a number of victims even weeks after the event, the Will Smith & Chris Rock Oscars saga has now reportedly cost actress Thandiwe Newton a role in Channing Tatum’s upcoming Magic Mike sequel.
According to report from UK news outlet The Sun, the actress was reportedly fired earlier in April – just 11 days into the filming of the latest Magic Mike movie, Magic Mike’s Last Dance – after getting into a heated on-set argument with star and producer Channing Tatum about Will Smith’s slapping of Chris Rock.
While it is uncertain which side either actor took, things reportedly escalated to such “astonishing” and “unimaginably vicious” levels that an angry Tatum drove off the West London set.
Following the dispute, Tatum, who plays the eponymous Magic Mike, allegedly refused to continue working with Newton on the upcoming HBO Max film.
According to Variety, Tatum has since recast the role with Marvel’s Eternals star Salma Hayek. Newton’s removal from the project ultimately cost the production thousands of dollars in delays and reshoots.
Speaking to The Sun, an anonymous crew member recalled, “They fell out over the debacle at the Oscars. I was on set. I watched her and watched him. They were in and out of the house where we were filming having this confrontation.”
“It was a tense exchange of words, but suddenly it escalated,” the source added. Channing got into this car and he disappeared. After the row he just went, ‘I am not working with her anymore’. Him being a producer, it’s his movie, so she’s off the movie.”
The source further claimed that “everyone on set found her challenging to work with,” describing the Solo: A Star Wars Story actress as “an absolute diva.”
“I’ve watched her have a go at the first assistant director, her costume girl,” they elaborated. “She’s always ranting and raving about something.”
However, a studio rep for Warner Bros. has since downplayed the reported incident, claiming that Newton actually left the project for family matters.
“Thandiwe Newton has made the difficult decision to step away from the production of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Magic Mike’s Last Dance to deal with family matters,” read a statement issued to The Sun by the rep. “A representative for Newton has also denied the report with the statement “This report is completely inaccurate.”
Newton is no stranger to having public spats with other celebrities.
Back in February, she called actor Sean Penn “a jibbering FOOL” in response to his assertion that “men in American culture have become wildly feminized.”
“I don’t think that being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women is anything to do with masculinity, or ever did,” Penn told British newspaper inews. “But I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them.”
Newton responded to these comments on Twitter, exclaiming, “Sean Penn, Dude what are you SAY-ING?? Like for REAL? You’re a jibbering FOOL. MF you used to be sexy but now you’re just tragic.”
As noted above, since Smith’s now infamous slap of Rock on global television – leveled against the comedian in retaliation for a joke comparing the appearance of the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, to Demi Moore’s shaven-head look in the 1997 film G.I. Jane. – multiple actors have come under fire for their opinion on the incident.
Actress Zoe Kravitz was attacked online by Black Twitter for captioning “Here’s a picture of my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now” in public defense of Rock and condemnation of Smith’s actions.
Actor Jim Carrey was also attacked online for expressing disappointment with the whole affair after he told CBS Morning’s Gayle King that he was “sickened by the standing ovation” Smith received later that night after winning Best Actor for his role in King Richard.
“If you want to yell from the audience and disapprove, or show disapproval, or say something on Twitter or whatever, you know,” said the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 star. [but] you do not have the right to walk on stage and smack somebody in the face because they said words.”
Even more bizarrely, some progressives have gone as far to blame white supremacy as a major contributing factor to Smith’s assault on Chris Rock.
As for Smith himself, the newly-crowned Oscar winner will still be allowed to keep his reward, but he has been banned from attending any Oscars-related events for the next 10 years.
Further, as major studios attempt to navigate the fallout, Smith has also seen all of his future projects paused.
What are your thoughts about the alleged Newton and Tatum argument? How do you feel about Salma Hayek replacing her in the film? Let us know your thoughts on social media or in the comments down below!
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