Alec Baldwin preps for court battle with Shia LaBeouf

Alec Baldwin at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Photo/AP

Alec Baldwin is preparing for a potential court battle against Shia LaBeouf.

The 55-year-old actor - who has been accused by the 26-year-old Transformers star of being partly responsible for getting him fired from the Broadway production Orphans - admitted that their bitter feud could result in a lawsuit.

The former 30 Rock star told the Sunday Times Magazine that they're "potentially in litigation" and suggested that LaBeouf quit the production because he had "never done a play before".

He explained that the pair had issues from the moment they met even though LaBeouf turned up knowing all of his lines "and wanted very badly to prove his worth and abilities."

Baldwin claimed he was later shocked by LaBeouf's "strange" behaviour on the set, saying: "I've never seen anything like it in my life!" and insisted that the pressure of performing live on stage every night is "not for everybody. Some people come in and you think, they're not going to make it. They're going to implode."

He insisted that there was "no personality clash", but added: "He's a very intense guy. He was roiling with tension that the process was so slow".

LaBeouf was recently said to be still furious with Baldwin and allegedly wants to "get even" with him.

A source close to the star previously said: "Shia just can't let this one go, he's disgusted with Alec for getting him axed from Orphans.

"He would never dream of whining to a director about a co-stars' performance, which he genuinely believes Alec did."

LaBeouf exited the Broadway play due to "creative differences" weeks before it was due to open, and after admitting he and his would-be co-star didn't connect as "men", he acknowledged Baldwin could have been instrumental in his departure from the production.

- Bang! Showbiz