Phoebe Waller-Bridge quits new TV series over 'creative differences' with Donald Glover

Phoebe Waller-Bridge has left her role on the upcoming Mr. and Mrs. Smith television series, in which she was to star alongside Donald Glover. 

The Fleabag star was due to play the female protagonist in the Amazon reboot of the 2005 action romance film but has reportedly departed the project because of 'creative differences' with the Atlanta actor. 

With production on the highly-anticipated show yet to begin, casting has now recommenced to find Phoebe's replacement. 

While the unexpected twist is likely to come as a disappointment for the English actor—as well as the entire Mr. and Mrs. Smith team—it's safe to say her career prospects aren't exactly in jeopardy. Phoebe received critical acclaim for her role as showrunner on Killing Eve Season 4, after bagging three Emmys in 2019 for her performance and writing in BBC's hilarious Fleabag. She went on to land an esteemed spot on the writing team for the upcoming James Bond film, No Time to Die, which will premiere on 30 September. This hard work hasn't gone unnoticed by Hollywood executives—she's now signed an eight-figure deal with Amazon to create and produce new TV shows.

If that didn't scream 'success' loudly enough, Phoebe has also become quite the businesswoman in recent years. Her company, PMWB, turned over a whopping £22 million during the COVID-19 pandemic—an incredible feat at a time when TV and film sets were toppling like dominos across the globe. Phoebe took a dividend (profit) of £1.4 million out of the business between November and April, while also allocating herself a £33,000 salary. 

With so many projects on the go, it's no wonder the comedic genius is making monetary gains. She hasn't hoarded all her riches to herself though. Like many A-list actors during this difficult time, Phoebe is using her status and affluence to help out her fellow artists. In July 2020, she launched a fund alongside The Crown actor Olivia Colman to helped theatre professionals whose work had been impacted by the pandemic. The philanthropic scheme, which was supported by the likes of Gillian Anderson and Emma Thompson, offered grants of up to £3,000 to stage actors across the country.