Why Phoebe Waller-Bridge Really Left Mr. And Mrs. Smith According To Donald Glover

When it was announced that Amazon would reboot the classic 2005 spy flick "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," fans were thrilled to hear that "Fleabag" star and creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge would join "Atlanta" veteran Donald Glover on the project. However, the Emmy winner left the TV series over apparent creative differences. So what happened?

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Glover and his "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" co-star Maya Erskine ("PEN15") discussed Waller-Bridge's near-involvement. Erskine, like so many "Fleabag" and "Atlanta" fans, said that she was thrilled when she heard about the collaboration: "I was excited by that union. When it was announced, I was like, 'Oh my God.'"

Glover was asked when he realized Waller-Bridge wouldn't be on the show. "I think because we were friends and I really liked Phoebe and we'd worked together ... It's a divorce in a weird way. You're like, 'Oh sh**, this should have worked.' And this is just me, being honest, but I think a good relationship is one where you don't waver from the extremely uncomfortable. And I don't know if we were ever going to get to a place where we could be completely brutal to each other."

When pressed as to why he felt he couldn't be "brutal" with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Donald Glover continued, "I don't know. It might've just been cultural." After noting that Waller-Bridge wrote "Fleabag" by herself, he went on, "And I look back at 'Atlanta,' and we built a culture where we could say mean things to each other or be like, 'That idea is kind of [crap],' and then we'd laugh. You weren't afraid to say something — but we also had the right to roast you. It's just how we got the laughs."

Glover also revealed that before Waller-Bridge exited "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," she rewrote the pilot ... and that the two may have clashed in the process. "I don't think we ever felt comfortable enough with each other," he admitted. "And that's okay. That's what happens when you're two captains. It's like, 'This is how I run my ship.' 'Well, this is how I run my ship.' And it's such a big idea, this show, I don't think it can have two captains ... I saw her script, and I was like, 'It's definitely not my style,' but if she'd done it with her in it, we'd all be like, 'This is a great f***ing show.'"

Ultimately, Glover worked on the series with "Atlanta" collaborator Francesca Sloane, sharing responsibilities as co-creators and executive producers. It's certainly a shame that Glover and Waller-Bridge couldn't see eye to eye, but it also sounds like Glover found the best partner for the project.

Viewers familiar with Maya Erskine know she is also a writer and creator. Her breakout role came alongside her close friend and former creative partner Anna Konkle in the Hulu original series "PEN15," where the two donned braces and terrible wigs to play awkward, painfully realistic middle school versions of themselves. While speaking with THR, Erskine joked that she didn't "choose" not to write, teasing Glover ... though she eventually said he didn't ask, which he seemed to realize in real-time. Erskine was understanding but made a fascinating point: "But isn't that interesting that you chose another creator?" Again, Glover had a realization, responding, "Wow, I never thought about that.

"You didn't think of that?" Erskine shot back. "I always thought of that. And Michaela Coel is involved, too," she noted — Coel has created multiple critically acclaimed shows, including "Chewing Gum" and "I May Destroy You."

"I guess I just liked your guys' styles, but I never thought about it," Glover mused. "I mean, maybe that's the problem because, in my head, I'm like, 'They'll fit perfectly in my vision.' But also, I feel like I want to be asked sometimes to just act. Even if it's a tiny role. No one ever asks."

Erskine eventually confirmed that she preferred not to write: "I did say, 'I don't have to write, right?' I had just gotten off years of that [with PEN15]." Still, she's correct — it's interesting that Glover feels drawn to fellow creators as his co-stars.

Let's get this out of the way: Phoebe Waller-Bridge is an incredible performer, and "Fleabag" fans will probably be curious about her vision of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" for years to come. In any case, audiences got Donald Glover's version, and it's important to note that Maya Erskine perfectly complements Glover's nervous, awkward energy.

Amazon's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" differentiates from the 2005 film by randomly pairing Glover and Erskine's John and Jane Smith. They're forced to get married and are ... just kind of bad at their jobs. Within the first few episodes, the pair botch multiple missions, and John is even injured by gunfire while on assignment. Since they're strangers when the show begins, their chemistry gets to build throughout the season's eight episodes; there's an advantage here in that this iteration of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" is a series rather than a movie, giving the narrative more time to unfold. Glover and Francesca Sloane did an excellent job letting John and Jane's relationship play out, grounding it despite the premise's heightened nature.

"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is streaming in its entirety on Amazon Prime now.