Thandiwe Newton Reportedly Resisting Rehab - Does This 23-Year-Old Rapper Have Something To Do With It?

Yet more info about Thandiwe Newton’s dramatic exit from Magic Mike’s Last Dance and separation from husband Ol Parker has come to light.

As we’ve been reporting, the actress left the third Magic Mike movie under dubious circumstances. Set sources claimed an argument with Channing Tatum about the Oscars slap spiraled out of control — an admittedly jaw-dropping reason to walk off a film. Warner Bros. denied those reports, saying in a statement that she left the film to deal with family issues. While that can sometimes be a cover story, insiders later suggested Thandiwe’s behavior stemmed from a very real crisis she’s going through: breaking up with her husband of 24 years.

A source told Page Six the 49-year-old had been behaving “erratically” during filming, adding:

“Thandiwe had been acting strangely on the set … enough that producers were worried about her state of mind. She just didn’t seem well at all, and there were fears about her mental health.”

If she was behaving “strangely” due to her personal issues, seems like both Warners’ statement and the stories from set could be true.

Innerestingly, this source specifically referenced a comment the Westworld star left on her friend Kristen McMenamy’s Instagram (below), in which the model held a gun to her own face. The comment (“Yes all day”) apparently disturbed Thandiwe’s team, though it must be said she could have just been supporting a friend’s edgy photoshoot rather than… praising the gun?

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A post shared by Kristen McMenamy (@kristen_mcmenamy)

Page Six also reported that the performer fired her longtime UK agent, Sally Long-Innes (who confirmed to the outlet that she was no longer working with Thandiwe). Sources shared that her US agent Gaby Morgerman flew to the U.K. to try to “calm things down.” The first source said:

“Thandiwe’s team wants her to go to rehab for mental health support.”

The team had apparently lined up a spot at the luxury facility The Meadows in Arizona, but the Emmy winner resisted — specifically because she wanted to spend time with a 23-year-old rapper named Lonr. (yes, with the period), who was visiting in London at the time.

Multiple sources told The New York Post that the musician (real name Elijah Dias) has struck up a close friendship with Thandiwe. His music was featured on the soundtrack of her 2021 film Reminiscence.

Surprisingly, Lonr. actually gave a statement to the outlet on the matter, saying:

“From the relatively short time I’ve been fortunate to spend with her, I know Thandiwe and Oliver care deeply about the welfare of their children. That’s all I care about right now.”

Huh! Not a denial that something’s going on between them, is it?

Parker was recently spotted out sans wedding ring, but according to The Post, the couple has not filed for divorce. A “London showbiz source” claimed:

“I know that Thandiwe and Ol have been struggling for a while. Ol’s scene is more hanging out with Brits and fellow writers like Richard Curtis [‘Notting Hill,’ ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’]. He has a low-key life.”

Hanging out with Los Angeles-based up-and-coming rappers does sound like a different crowd than venerated British rom-com writers. But the whole situation seems to have many complicated layers to it. We just hope Thandiwe feels safe and supported whatever she decides to do next.

[Image via Thandiwe Newton/Lonr./Instagram]