Thandiwe Newton Praises 'Magic Mike' Replacement, Salma Hayek

Thandiwe Newton's previous role in the sequel of the American comedy-drama film "Magic Mike XXL" was recently replaced following her exit from the production.

She was reported to have had personal issues, which led to her withdrawal from the show and Salma Hayek's stepping in to fill her spot.

Newton seemed okay with her replacement as she updated her Instagram story with a complimentary message to Hayek.

The "Westworld" star wrote on a shot of Hayek, "For me, no finer performance, no finer film, about the real questions we need to be asking."

The snap showed the poster of the 2017 movie "Beatriz at Dinner" in which the "Grown Ups" actress was featured.

Newton tagged the movie's director Miguel Arteta to the post and added, "I love you, @salmahayek." The bottom of the update showed "#Mexico" with a thank you emoji.

Earlier this month, The Blast confirmed the 49-year-old's resignation from "Magic Mike's Last Dance" after a representative of Warner Bros. Pictures verified the reason behind her exit.

The rep stated, "Thandiwe Newton has made the difficult decision to step away from the production of Warner Bros. Pictures' Magic Mike's Last Dance to deal with family matters."

The female lead role in the follow-up film was eventually given to Hayek, who is known for her good looks and her top-rated performance.

Details about the movie were kept hush-hush, but Variety revealed that the franchise's third chapter would be exclusively produced for HBO Max.

Some of the previous showrunners, including Reid Carolin and Steven Soderbergh, would also be returning. Carolin was the screenwriter for the first two parts of the movie, while Soderbergh was the first film's director.

Unfortunately, Gregory Jacobs, the director of the second chapter, "Magic Mike XXL," would not be directing as he was involved in production with Carolin, Nick Wechsler, and Peter Kiernan.

Production of the upcoming chapter of the franchise began in the UK not too long ago, and it has been reported to be the final part of the globally loved film.

Speaking of the female lead character in the production, Tatum previously promised fans that there would be a "strong" female protagonist in the new chapter.

He noted that the character would be on the same level as his lead role, "almost stronger" than him. The actor also hinted that the film would not be a "traditional love story."

According to the screenwriter, the female lead's story was one about "a woman stuck at a horrible strip show like a Chippendales and then realizing, 'What the hell am I doing here?'"

Carolin further stated, "And then Magic Mike comes down from the ceiling. She gets to go down the rabbit hole and asks: 'What do I really want?'"

The response to the question will further be revealed when the movie is released, and hopefully, it will be a box office success like its prequels.

"Magic Mike" and "Magic Mike XXL" gained quite the fame and earned nearly $300 million globally. The production's reputation also created live stage shows in various exotic cities around the world.

Based on The Blast's recent report, Newton's sudden exit from "Magic Mike's Last Dance" could mean she needed rehab as she suffered from emotional trauma following her split from husband Ol Parker.

As you may know, the English performer and Parker have been married for over two decades and share three kids. The end of their marriage was indeed a heavy blow to her.

During the filming of "Magic Mike's Last Dance," colleagues noted that the 49-year-old acted oddly on set, which worried them. A source revealed:

"Thandiwe had been acting strange on set; she has been very highly strung. Her apparent breakdown caused so much disruption; it became clear she couldn't play the role."

The insider further explained that the "Line of Duty" actress was pretty stressed as she could not cope with the end of her longtime marriage.

At the time, she looked to her pet rabbits for "emotional support," but they were of no help as the situation worsened after she fired her UK agent of thirty years.

Eventually, the "Pursuit of Happyness" star's team made plans for her at a rehabilitation facility in Arizona if she was willing to go.