KiKi Layne is ‘thriving’ despite ‘most’ of her Don’t Worry Darling scenes being cut

Some of her scenes may have ended up on the cutting-room floor, but Don’t Worry Darling star KiKi Layne says that she’s “thriving” anyways. She took to Instagram on Sunday to share footage from the set of Olivia Wilde’s buzzed-about psychological thriller, confirming that most of her performance has been relegated to deleted-scene purgatory.

Many of the photos Layne posted featured her costar and onscreen husband, Ari’el Stachel, whom she now appears to be dating offscreen. “The best thing about #DontWorryDarling is that I was lucky enough to meet @arielstachel,” she wrote. “They cut us from most of the movie, but we thriving in real life.” Layne added, “Love you Ari,” alongside several heart emojis and the hashtags #GotMyCheck, #GotMyMan and #EverythingHappensforaReason.

“My love. You are a queen and your talent shines so bright,” Stachel commented. “I was thirsty then and I’m thirsty now.” He also reposted one of his TikTok videos to Instagram, in which the actor reacts to tweets calling out his absence in the film. He and Layne play Margaret and Ted, a married couple living in the eerily picture-perfect desert community of Victory. Despite Margaret’s haunting breakdown serving as the impetus for Alice’s (Florence Pugh) disillusionment, most of Layne’s and Stachel’s presence lives in the story’s periphery.  

Other members of the Don’t Worry Darling production offered their support for Layne in the comments section, with costars Gemma Chan and Kate Berlant each commenting heart emojis. “I was witness to your sweet (love),” costume designer Arianne Phillips wrote, offering red heart emojis. “Two special artists whom I respect and adore.”

Prior to her post, both Layne and Stachel were largely absent from prerelease press engagements for the film, including its splashy Venice Film Festival debut. Rumours of behind-the-scenes drama has plagued Don’t Worry Darling in the lead-up to its $19.2 million box office bow. Over its opening weekend, 40 of Don’t Worry Darling’s crew and production members released a statement claiming that rumours of on-set feuding “are completely false.”

This article originally appeared on Vanity Fair.