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Last year, when news broke that Megan Fox would no longer appear in the “Transformers” film franchise, the actress insisted it was because she had decided to “not to return.” But film director Michael Bay says it was her controversial comments that cost her the role that made her famous.

“You know the Hitler thing. Steven (Spielberg) said, ‘fire her right now,’” the Daily Mail quoted Bay as saying.

HOT SHOTS: Meghan Fox

Back in 2009, Fox infamously compared Bay to Hitler on set.

“He's like Napoleon and he wants to create this insane, infamous mad-man reputation," she said. “He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is. 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."

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Fox was later replaced with Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

HOT SHOTS: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley 

Her comments were slammed by the crew of the film, who dubbed her a “grump of the set,” “ungracious” and unprofessional.

In an open letter, they wrote:

“Michael found this shy, inexperienced girl, plucked her out of total obscurity thus giving her the biggest shot of any young actresses' life. He told everyone around to just trust him on his choice. He granted her the starring role in Transformers, a franchise that forever changed her life; she became one of the most googled and oogled women on earth. She was famous! She was the next Angelina Jolie, hooray! Wait a minute, two of us worked with Angelina - second thought - she's no Angelina. You see, Angelia is a professional.”

Bay said his feelings were not hurt by the Hitler comments.

Earlier this month, Fox’s co-star Shia LaBeouf opened up to the Los Angeles Times about the issue.

“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. 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 assumes a gentle voice] 'I would like you to just arch your back 70 degrees.'"

“Transformers” screenwriter Ehren Kruger told GQ magazine however, that Fox didn’t seem interested when she arrived for rehearsals for “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.”

“She seemed like an actress who didn’t want to be a part of it,” he said.

LaBeouf added to GQ, “She started s*** talking our captain. Which you can’t do.”