Phoebe Waller-Bridge has discussed her exit from the forthcoming Amazon Prime series Mr & Mrs Smith.
The Fleabag star had been due to star in, write and contribute creatively to a serialised TV adaptation of the 2005 film, which famously saw Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie take the title roles.
However, Phoebe exited the project in September 2021, citing “creative differences”.
The actor, who appears in the new Indiana Jones film Dial Of Destiny, expanded on her reasons for quitting the show in a new interview with Vanity Fair, published on Tuesday.
“I worked on that show for six months fully in heart and mind and really cared about it – still care about it,” she said.
“And I know it’s gonna be brilliant. But sometimes it’s about knowing when to leave the party. You don’t want to get in the way of a vision.”
Explaining that the creative collaboration is “like a marriage”, Phoebe added: “And some marriages don’t work out.”
The star added that her creative deal with Amazon – which she landed in 2019 after the success of Fleabag for a reported $60 million – is still in place, despite no projects having yet made it to screen.
“They’ve been with me along this process where I’m like, ’I’m getting there, but I want it to be fucking amazing,” she said.
Amazon’s Mr & Mrs Smith will star the previously announced Donald Glover as John Smith, with Maya Erskine taking over the role of Jane Smith from Phoebe.
The series was created by Donald and Fargo producer Francesca Sloane.
It is due for release later in 2023 after being pushed back from its original 2022 debut, although a specific date has not yet been confirmed.
Read the full interview with Phoebe in the July/August issue of Vanity Fair.