The Insider.com

As the June 29 release of 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' draws near, Shia LaBeouf is getting candid about the absence from the film of sexy Megan Fox -- his co-star in the film's last installment, 'Revenge of the Fallen.' It's no secret that there were differences between Fox and director Michael Bay, as both publicly blasted each other in the press after the release of 'Revenge.' Now, LaBeouf weighs in on the situation and portrays Fox as a strong and confident woman who was put off by Bay's directing style.

"Megan developed this Spice Girl strength, this woman-empowerment [stuff] that made her feel awkward about her involvement with Michael, who some people think is a very lascivious filmmaker, the way he films women," LaBeouf tells the Los Angeles Times.

"Mike films women in a way that appeals to a 16-year-old sexuality. It's summer. It's Michael's style. And I think [Fox] never got comfortable with it. This is a girl who was taken from complete obscurity and placed in a sex-driven role in front of the whole world and told she was the sexiest woman in America. And she had a hard time accepting it," LaBeouf said.  

"When Mike would ask her to do specific things, there was no time for fluffy talk. We're on the run. And the one thing Mike lacks is tact. There's no time for [LaBeouf then drops to a gentle voice] 'I would like you to just arch your back 70 degrees.'"

For the record, Victoria's Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was the choice to replace Fox, so she might be arching her back and running in heels in 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon.'

You may recall that Fox had her own extreme Say What!? moment back in 2009 when she compared Bay to both Napoleon and Hitler.

"God, I really wish I could go loose on this one. He's like Napoleon and he wants to create this insane, infamous mad-man reputation. He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is," the actress said in an interview with Wonderland magazine.

"So he's a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he's not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he's so awkward, so hopelessly awkward. He has no social skills at all. And it's endearing to watch him. He's vulnerable and fragile in real life and then on set he's a tyrant," Fox said.