LaBeouf and ‘Orphans’ Producers Settle Over Firing

The actor Shia LaBeouf has reached a settlement with the producers of the Broadway play “Orphans” over his firing from the show in February, which came after Mr. LaBeouf clashed during rehearsals with the director, Daniel Sullivan, and its star, Alec Baldwin. The producers, Robert Cole and Frederick Zollo, and Mr. LaBeouf announced the settlement in a statement on Tuesday; the terms were not released, though the producers did offer words of praise for Mr. LaBeouf.

The settlement is in response to a grievance Mr. LaBeouf filed against the producers with the Actors’ Equity union, claiming unfair termination from “Orphans.” A spokeswoman for Mr. LaBeouf said that Equity representatives pressed Mr. LaBeouf’s claim on his behalf; she declined to comment on how far along the grievance process unfolded before the settlement. A spokeswoman for Equity declined to comment.

Mr. LaBeouf’s ouster from “Orphans,” a revival of a 1983 drama by Lyle Kessler, was a rare instance where problems with collegiality and compatibility spilled out of a Broadway rehearsal room and into the public eye.

Best known for action films like the “Transformers” franchise and the last Indiana Jones movie, Mr. LaBeouf was cast last winter in the role of as the hotheaded thief Treat, a young man who kidnaps Mr. Baldwin’s character - the gangster Harold - and holds him hostage. When rehearsals began in February, the divergent acting styles of Mr. LaBeouf and Mr. Baldwin quickly became apparent; the two actors proved “incompatible,” Mr. Sullivan wrote in an e-mail to Mr. LaBeouf that the actor posted on Twitter after his firing.

“This one will haunt me,” Mr. Sullivan continued in his e-mail to Mr. LaBeouf. “You tried to warn me. You said you were a different breed. I didn’t get it.”

This was one of several private e-mail indicating backstage discord that Mr. LaBeouf posted on Twitter, to the consternation of the producers and Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Baldwin. There was also an incident of Mr. LaBeouf punching his hand through a door during rehearsals, to the surprise of his collaborators; he later apologized by e-mail to Mr. Kessler, writing, “im a child.”

The actor Ben Foster replaced Mr. LaBeouf during the second week of rehearsals. The play ultimately opened in April to mixed reviews, and closed in May, sooner than scheduled because of weak ticket sales. The production was nominated for two Tony Awards: best revival of a play and best actor in a play for Tom Sturridge, who played Treat’s brother Phillip.

The joint statement on Tuesday said that Mr. LaBeouf and the producers had “resolved their differences” concerning Mr. LaBeouf’s departure, without providing details. Mr. Cole and Mr. Zollo also issued this statement: “We regret the circumstances that caused Shia’s departure from ‘Orphans.’ Shia is a gifted actor whose full preparation to undertake the role of Treat demonstrated his respect and devotion to the play. The parties recognize that neither Mr. LaBeouf nor the producers was at fault. We have the utmost respect for Shia and his acting abilities, and would welcome the opportunity to work with him in the future.”

A spokeswoman for the “Orphans” producers confirmed the settlement and their statement and said they had nothing further to add.

A spokesman for Mr. Baldwin said on Tuesday that he had no comment on the settlement.