Rebuffed Fox

Weeks before the latest Transformers movie came out some new rumors came to surface as to why Megan Fox was not in it. Originally her departure was credited to her quitting, now according to sources she was fired on the demands of Steven Spielberg for remarks towards Michael Bay. Even though she was contracted to do the third movie. She made the offending remarks to British magazine Wonderland shortly before production was scheduled to begin on the third instalment of the franchise.

"He's like Napoleon and he wants to create this insane, infamous madman reputation," she said of Bay. "He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is. So he's a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he's not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he's so awkward, so hopelessly awkward. He has no social skills at all. And it's endearing to watch him. He's vulnerable and fragile in real life and then on set he's a tyrant. Shia and I almost die when we make a Transformers movie. He has you do some really insane things that insurance would never let you do."

So, what are his thoughts? “I love her,” he told USA Today in November 2009. “It’s just, she’s young. Everyone’s got to give her a break, she only…23? It’s just hard. I’ve traveled around the world with her and she’s just like this world symbol now, you know?” So are her diatribes something that shouldn’t be taken seriously? “Absolutely,” he said. “She called me (after the Hitler comment) and goes, ‘It’s all bullsh—t, Mike.’ The press, they just like to prey, and stalk, and pounce and find a good little juicy thing. But she’s always wanted to do these crazy comments. That’s just her. She’s great.” He also said, “She’s got a great part in Transformers 3,” and he said he’s currently working on the script. So Bay’s not planning on getting revenge by, say, killing her off? “No, no. no,” he said, dismissing it. “She gets enough of that already.” So it sounds like he never intended to replace her.

Many were quick to call her remarks anti-Semitic but I don't see how they are racist towards Jews. Also some were claiming that she was trying to compare what she goes through on the set to what the Jews went through in World War II. I get tired of anything negative is said towards or about somebody Jewish, whether you are aware they are or not, it is called anti-Semitic. And why should racism, when it is racism, towards Jewish people is somehow worse than regular racism towards others. Personally I think she was just trying to say that Michael Bay is demanding and like a dictator on set. Bay has a reputation of being an jerk of epic proportions, exploding on set, having a bad temper, as well as being quite sexist and not really respecting women. Megan felt deliberately humiliated on set. So maybe her remarks aren't that far off and nobody else has the guts to say it.

Judging by what she says in interviews she isn't a terrible person, is shy, and not very confident. She is intelligent and knows what she's about and she says what she thinks. I don't think what she said was intended to be mean. I can understand her disliking him with being made to act sexual and be filmed levaciously. She was an extra in one of his movies at 17, underage, where she was given a role as a stripper and filmed dancing under a shower in a club. It is also rumored that for her audition to Transformers she had to wash Michael Bay's car in a bikini, which he filmed. Bay's appointment of Fox was not universally popular. In an open letter posted on Michael Bay's website, a Transformers crew member disparaged Bay's decision to cast her over more experienced actors. "He told everyone around to just trust him on his choice …" Clearly he liked Megan Fox alot. I can't help wondering if either of the stories are true and in fact he tried something with her and she either was angry and quit or he felt spurned and fired her. She says she did part two because she owed Michael Bay anything he wanted because he gave her her career. He could have misunderstood her gratitude.

Previously it had been rumored that Fox quit because Bay made her act like a stripper. Co-star Shia LaBeouf told the LAT:
“Megan developed this Spice Girl strength, this woman-empowerment [stuff] that made her feel awkward about her involvement with Michael, who some people think is a very lascivious filmmaker, the way he films women,” LaBeouf said. “Mike films women in a way that appeals to a 16-year-old sexuality. It’s summer. It’s Michael’s style. And I think [Fox] never got comfortable with it. This is a girl who was taken from complete obscurity and placed in a sex-driven role in front of the whole world and told she was the sexiest woman in America. And she had a hard time accepting it. When Mike would ask her to do specific things, there was no time for fluffy talk. We’re on the run. And the one thing Mike lacks is tact. There’s no time for [LaBeouf assumes a gentle voice] ‘I would like you to just arch your back 70 degrees. Rosie (Huntingdon-Whitley) comes with this Victoria’s Secret background, and she’s comfortable with it, so she can get down with Mike’s way of working and it makes the whole set vibe very different.”

This is still before she was replaced. Lately since her firing he has been not so much defending her or making excuses. Some of his more recent comments include.
- The project is a ship and Bay is the captain: and you simply don't bad mouth your captain, that's just something that you never do.
- Criticism is one thing. Then there’s public name-calling, which turns into high school bashing. Which you can’t do. She started sh-t-talking our captain.
It is of interest that people are saying that his character isn't as nice anymore and is rather jaded. We have found out that they had a fling while filming Transformers 2. Could her leaving the franchise and going back to Brian Austin Green be behind his comments. Shia says he loves Megan and misses her, but their characters became like one character. With the new character there is a new perspective.. It doesn't sound like he is sorry she isn't in Transformers 3.

According to interviews and her publisher Megan quit because of her desire to pursue other acting opportunities. She wants to become a better actress and to be taken seriously, to not just be seen as a sex symbol. She personally doesn't think the acting she did in either Transformers was very good. She admits to being not very confident or feeling like she even looks like a woman. She seems somewhat embarrassed to be seen as sexy. It sounds like she was a tomboy because she says that she always got along with boys better and liked the things they did. She wasn't popular because the other girls didn't like her for this, and were likely jealous of her looks. She has become aware of her ability to use her looks but says that this is just in recent years. Although it sounds like when she does it is all an act, kind of like how Marilyn Monroe was acting even in real life. Her unfavorable comments of Bay are probably a case of her being mouthy, as she says she has always been sassy and mouthy. She likes to give men a hard time and tease rudely or with insults.

She says she loves Shia and the crew and would come back for them anytime they needed her, but doesn't think would need her. Clearly she grew tired of his ways. She doesn't feel special, and is tired of everybody telling her Michael Bay made her an (sex) icon. I don't know how much she likes the crew, at least some of them, now.

Three members of his "Transformers 2" crew leapt to Bay's defense with a ferocious mean-spirited letter, snarking on everything from Fox's tattoos to her work ethic and intelligence level. It kind of sounds like the guy who was upset Kate Middleton didn't like him, some men who felt they deserved something. They are clearly people who feel self important and that it was beneath them to work with somebody who isn't a veteran actor as the lead. They didn't like her even before she was hired and didn't agree with her hiring. They sound very petty, jealous, and like they are trying to make her look bad. They insinuate that she is ungrateful, grumpy, dumb, and that anything she says is a lie. They call her trailer trash and say she poses like a porn star. They seem to forget that that is the desire and doing of Michael Bay. They even complain about having to do a little bit more makeup work because of a few tattoos. It mentions that she wasn't very interested in crew members and was very ungracious. Sounds like they desperately wanted to be noticed and be her best friends. Since when should an actor be intensely grateful for crew members who are doing their job? They claim everybody quit saying hi to her but comments other places have indicate conflicting opinions about her. In fact she is quite intelligent and she may have been grumpy because of breaking up with Brian Austin Green for awhile and the relationship with Shia that couldn't go anywhere. If the director were also hitting on her privately you could see why she might be unhappy.

Meanwhile, another Transformers collaborator has spoken up to defend Fox against the criticism. A letter written by production assistant Anthony Steinhart reads, "I read the letter by the three unnamed crew people and was blown away by their description of Ms Fox. I have personally never been nor ever witnessed Ms. Fox being rude or inconsiderate of people's feelings or the work to be done. Everyone is entitled to their good days and bad. Contrary to popular belief, she is like us (human) and has both good and bad days as well."

In a quick post on his Web site, Bay leapt to Fox's defense: "I don't condone the crew letter to Megan. And I don't condone Megan's outlandish quotes. But her crazy quips are part of her crazy charm. The fact of the matter I still love working with her, and I know we still get along. I even expect more crazy quotes from her on Transformers 3."
Bay also removed the crew members' letter from his official site, though by now copies are easily found online. He seems like he is trying to ingratiate himself to Megan and the fans.

Megan herself reached out to her disgruntled colleagues to smooth out the controversy. She says in a statement, "I have spoken with the parties involved privately. I am very fortunate to be involved in this amazing franchise and look forward to Transformers 3."

In an article with GQ magazine he commented, again seeming to want to ingratiate himself. He book lames Spielberg:
- She was in a different world, on her BlackBerry. You gotta stay focused. And you know, the Hitler thing. Steven [Spielberg] said, “Fire her right now.”
- I wasn’t hurt, because I know that’s just Megan. Megan loves to get a response. And she does it in kind of the wrong way. I’m sorry, Megan. I’m sorry I made you work twelve hours. I’m sorry that I’m making you show up on time. Movies are not always warm and fuzzy.
- Listen, I mean, Rosie came in and she would say hello to the crew. She would acknowledge the crew. She’d say thank you.

Ehren Kruger (screenwriter, Transformers series): She was there for rehearsals. But she seemed like an actress who didn’t want to be a part of it. She was saying she wanted to, but she wasn’t acting like it.
Julie White (actor, Transformers series): I texted [Megan] and was like, “Come back, Lassie!” Because I think she’s magic. She is the My Little Pony of Transformers.

Ian Bryce (producer, Transformers series): On the plus side of the column, Rosie has done an enormously wonderful job for being a newcomer.

So what is the truth? I can only offer my personal opinion. Everybody involved in Transformers 2 admit disappointment in the movie. They felt like the characters had basically become the same, and this was too one-dimensional. They wanted to make part three more serious, and more sexual with a sensual (good girl) girlfriend. They possibly thought they needed something "new" to attract fans. I think it is true that Megan Fox only did part two as a favor and wasn't comfortable with the nature of part three. The unfortunate comments sound like they were used as an excuse either to cover up her quitting or real reasons she was fired. I kind of suspect Spielberg said to make up the thing about him ordering it to help Michael Bay save face. He knows it won't hurt his career. Maybe the director did try something with her and nobody wants the truth to come out. That she really did quit.