Thandiwe Newton was reportedly fired from the new Magic Mike film after she got into an argument on set with co-star Channing Tatum over Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars last month.
According to the Sun, the feud between Newton, 49, and Tatum, 41, escalated to such “astonishing” and “unimaginably vicious” levels that Tatum stormed off the set and drove off in his car.
The production crew had been filming Magic Mike’s Last Dance in West London for 11 days before the former co-stars clashed.
One crew member told the outlet, “Channing Tatum is the producer and number one on set. Thandiwe Newton is the number two star. But 11 days into shooting, and it’s all over.”
“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,” the insider added.
“It was a tense exchange of words, but suddenly it escalated – Channing got into this car, and he disappeared, the source said, adding that Newton behaved like a “diva” on the set before the argument.
Since Newton’s surprising exit, the source revealed that her role will likely be re-casted with a new actress.
“She’s gone,” the insider said. Everything we’ve shot for the last 11 days has to be reshot with a new cast member.”
Variety reported that producers ultimately decided to replace the 49-year-old’s leading female role with Salma Hayek.
While it’s unclear when the feud started, the reports suggested it happened around early April.
After the dispute, Tatum, who plays Magic Mike in the film, revealed that he didn’t want to work with Newton anymore.
“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 told the British outlet.
Freelance crew members said the feud had cost them thousands of dollars in lost wages.
Director Steven Soderbergh “didn’t take a side” as he tried to defuse the situation between Newton and Tatum.
“He was trying to calm things down, but he’s a very quiet man.”
A spokesperson denied earlier reports on Wednesday, telling Variety that the actress quit for personal reasons.
“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,” a spokesperson for the studio told Variety on Wednesday.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance is the third installment of the film’s franchise. The first two films grossed nearly $300 million worldwide, Page Six reported.
