Kiki Layne and Ari'el Stachel Are 'Thriving' Despite Scenes Being Cut From 'Don't Worry Darling'
The low-key couple met while working on the film and took to social media to joke about being cut from 'most of' the movie.
Despite "most of" their scenes being cut from Don't Worry Darling, Kiki Layne and Ari'el Stachel are still living their best lives offscreen.
On Sunday, days after the Olivia Wilde-helmed film hit theaters, Layne posted photos of her and Stachel on set and took a jab at their lack of presence onscreen. "The best thing about #DontWorryDarling is that I was lucky enough to meet @arielstachel. They cut us from most of the movie, but we thriving in real life," she wrote.
"Love you Ari," Layne concluded, adding hashtags #GotMyCheck, #GotMyMan and #EverythingHappensforaReason.
Stachel returned the love in both a comment and on his own Instagram Story, sharing the same video clip with a "My Queen" text banner splashed across it.
"My love. You are a queen and your talent shines so bright," he replied to Layne’s post. "I was thirsty then and I'm thirsty now."
On his page, Stachel reposted a TikTok video to Instagram, showcasing tweets saying he was a "glorified extra" in the film with the caption "when you end up on the cutting room floor."
He also shared a gallery of images with Layne in another post, writing, "My favorite part of my experience in Don't Worry Darling. This woman did phenomenal work and I was thirsty the second I met her."
The duo -- who seemingly began dating after meeting on set -- plays Margaret and Ted in Don't Worry Darling, a couple in the idealized and pioneering 1950s desert community of Victory that is not quite what it seems. Margaret serves as a catalyst for Florence Pugh's Alice to question what's behind the experimental company town and its leader, played by Chris Pine.
Gemma Chan, one of the few other actors of color in the film, also replied to Layne's post with a single heart emoji.
Don't Worry Darling has been plagued with drama and rumors about on-set hostility, including an alleged clash between Pugh and Wilde, since before its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
From the film's early casting shakeups -- with Harry Styles taking over for Shia LaBeouf -- to Wilde's high-profile split from her long-time partner, Jason Sudeikis, and subsequent romance with her new leading man, drama, rumors and mild scandals have permeated every facet of the film's production.
Despite the speculation, the film opened to $19 million domestically at the box office and $30 million worldwide, against its $35 million budget.
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