How Shia LaBeouf went from the beloved star of 'Even Stevens' to one of the most controversial actors in Hollywood
Libby Torres
- Shia LaBeouf first rose to fame in the early 2000s, with roles on "Even Stevens" and in "Holes."
- He then starred in numerous high-profile films like "Disturbia," "Transformers," and "Nymphomaniac."
Shia LaBeouf was born in Los Angeles in 1986.
LaBeouf was raised by his mother, Shayna Saide, and Jeffrey LaBeouf, a Vietnam war veteran. The actor told the Los Angeles Times in 2007 that his father struggled with substance abuse, and that their relationship was complicated.
In the same interview, LaBeouf said he started performing stand-up comedy at age 10, and pursued acting shortly thereafter as a means of becoming financially comfortable.
LaBeouf began his acting career with bit parts on shows like "The X-Files" and "Freaks and Geeks."
In his early teens, LaBeouf played Richie Lupone on the season seven episode "The Goldberg Variation" of "The X-Files," and appeared as a young patient named Darnel Smith on a 2000 episode of "ER."
The actor also had bit parts in TV movies like "Breakfast with Einstein" in 1998, and "Hounded" in 2001.
His breakthrough came when he landed the lead role on Disney Channel's "Even Stevens." At the time, he was about 13 years old.
LaBeouf played the well-meaning but bumbling Louis Stevens from 2000 to 2003, and even won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding performer in a children's series in 2003.
While the Disney Channel comedy certainly helped boost his profile, LaBeouf's "Even Stevens" costar Christy Carlson Romano (who played Ren Stevens, Louis' sister) revealed in August 2021 that LaBeouf's father Jeffrey was a "very negative presence" on set.
And LaBeouf himself even spoke about the tension between himself and his parents during the early days of his career. In 2019, the actor told the Hollywood Reporter's "Awards Chatter" podcast that he felt if he "had more money, there'd be no fighting" between his mother and father.
LaBeouf's first major film role was in the 2003 adaptation of "Holes."
The actor followed up "Even Stevens" with a starring role in the 2003 comedy-drama, based on the novel of the same name by Louis Sachar.
In "Holes," LaBeouf played Stanley Yelnats, a wrongly convicted teenager who's sent to a juvenile detention facility deep in the desert. Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver, Patricia Arquette, and Eartha Kitt also appeared in the film, which received generally positive reviews upon its release.
Following the success of "Holes," LaBeouf continued acting, appearing in "I, Robot," "Constantine," and other hit films.
The former Disney Channel star had a supporting role in the second "Charlie's Angels" film, and acted opposite Will Smith in "I, Robot."
LaBeouf also appeared in "Constantine" and "The Greatest Game Ever Played," both released in 2005, as well as "Bobby" in 2006. The following year, he also starred in the crime drama "Disturbia."
In 2007, LaBeouf's career was at an all-time high. That year, he starred opposite Megan Fox in the blockbuster action film "Transformers."
Directed by Michael Bay, the film was an instant box office success when it was released in 2007, and made both LaBeouf and Fox household names.
"Transformers" went on to spawn a blockbuster film franchise, with LaBeouf starring in the following two sequels ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" in 2009, and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" in 2011).
And in 2008, LaBeouf and Harrison Ford starred in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
LaBeouf starred in another franchise shortly after "Transformers" was released, this time joining Ford and Karen Allen (who played Indiana's love interest Marion in past films) for "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
In the action film, which is the fourth in the "Indiana Jones" franchise, LaBeouf plays Mutt Williams, the rebellious son of Indiana (Ford) and Marion.
However, LaBeouf later spoke out against Steven Spielberg, who directed "Crystal Skull" and produced several of LaBeouf's other films, including "Transformers." The actor criticized Spielberg's methods in a 2016 interview with Variety, saying that Spielberg is "less a director than he is a fucking company."
Screenwriter David Knoepp confirmed a year later that the character of Mutt won't be featured in the upcoming "Indiana Jones" film.
In the following years, however, LaBeouf would pivot to more indie projects. He appeared in Lars von Trier's "Nymphomaniac," and also directed several short films himself — one of which was accused of plagiarizing another artist.
LaBeouf also starred in the two "Transformers" sequels around this time, and had roles in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" (2010), "Lawless" (2011), and "The Company You Keep" (2012).
The actor played Jerome in Lars Van Trier's "Nymphomaniac" films, which starred Mia Goth, Stellan Skarsgård, Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, and Stacy Martin.
Around the same time, LaBeouf also directed several short films, including "Maniac" in 2011, and "Howard Cantour.com," the latter of which premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Shortly after its premiere, however, the comic book artist Daniel Clowes publicly accused LaBeouf of plagiarizing his work "Justin M. Damiano" in "Howard Cantour.com."
LaBeouf subsequently apologized, but as outlets pointed out at the time, his apologetic tweets also appeared to be lines lifted almost verbatim from other works.
In February 2013, LaBeouf abruptly departed from a Broadway production.
The actor was cast opposite Alec Baldwin in Daniel Sullivan's stage production of "Orphans," which would have been his theater debut. But things became tense during rehearsals, according to Baldwin's retelling in Vulture.
Per the "30 Rock" actor, LaBeouf "attacked" him for not memorizing his lines quickly enough. Baldwin said he then pulled the stage manager and Sullivan aside and told them that either he or LaBeouf had to go. According to Baldwin, LaBeouf was then "fired" from the production and replaced by Ben Foster.
LaBeouf subsequently posted emails regarding the situation to his Twitter account, as reported by the New York Times. In one, the "Holes" star appears to apologize to Baldwin, and in another, Sullivan calls LaBeouf "one hell of a great actor," and says that LaBeouf and Baldwin were simply "incompatible."
Another email leaked by LaBeouf appeared to show Baldwin accepting LaBeouf's apology, writing in part: "I don't have an unkind word to say about you. You have my word."
LaBeouf was arrested at an unrelated Broadway performance later that year in the summer of 2013.
The actor's bizarre behavior continued later that summer. LaBeouf was arrested in June 2013 during a Broadway performance of the musical "Cabaret" in New York, which starred Michelle Williams and Alan Cumming. According to Variety, LaBeouf was being disruptive during the first act of the performance, smoking cigarettes and even standing up to yell at the actors onstage at one point.
He was later escorted from the theater in handcuffs, charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing, and released, according to Variety.
LaBeouf pled guilty to disorderly conduct in September of 2014.
The actor caused a stir when he wore a paper bag over his head to the 2014 German premiere of "Nymphomaniac."
The paper sack covering LaBeouf's face (with two holes cut out for his eyes) featured lettering that said, "I Am Not Famous Anymore."
Around the same time as the red carpet incident in February, Variety reported, LaBeouf's art installation (called #IAmNotSorry, reportedly in reference to the Daniel Clowes incident) opened in Los Angeles.
Later in 2014, LaBeouf earned critical acclaim for his role in David Ayer's WWII drama "Fury."
Starring Brad Pitt, Jon Bernthal, Logan Lerman, Scott Eastwood, and LaBeouf, the historical drama followed a group of American soldiers fighting their way through Nazi Germany during WWII.
LaBeouf, along with the film, received generally positive reviews after its release. But Eastwood revealed in an interview with Insider earlier this year that the two had a tense moment on set.
Per Eastwood, the "volatile" incident occurred after Eastwood spat on a tank as part of a scene. But the "Nymphomaniac" star didn't realize it was in the script, and became so incensed that Pitt had to break up the fight.
"[LaBeouf] got mad at me and it turned into a volatile moment that Brad Pitt ultimately got in the middle of," Eastwood told Insider's Jason Guerrasio.
"I never think your process as an actor should ever hinder how people are treated on set," he added.
In 2015, LaBeouf starred in Sia's music video for her song "Elastic Heart."
In the video, LaBeouf and child dancer Maddie Ziegler, who was 12 at the time, dance together in a large metal cage. Some accused the video of promoting pedophilia, since both LaBeouf and Ziegler are clad only in tight-fitting athletic wear, and frequently dance close to one another.
Sia subsequently tweeted an apology, writing, "I apologize to those who feel triggered by #ElasticHeart My intention was to create some emotional content, not to upset anybody."
The tweets now appear to have been deleted, and LaBeouf didn't comment publicly on the controversy.
Following his role in the 2016 film "American Honey," LaBeouf had several public outbursts in 2017, with one resulting in another arrest.
LaBeouf played Jake in the 2016 film "American Honey," which also starred Sasha Lane and Riley Keough.
"American Honey" received mainly positive reviews, but LaBeouf found himself embroiled in several controversies a year later.
The first incident came after the actor had created an art exhibit entitled, "HE WILL NOT DIVIDE US" (a reference to then-recently-elected president Donald Trump). The exhibition featured a camera placed on the wall of New York City's Museum of the Moving Image, with people encouraged to stand in front of it and speak to it.
However, after a random man reportedly defended Hitler in front of the camera, LaBeouf, who is Jewish, became angry, and ended up pushing the man. LaBeouf was then arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and harassment. While it's unclear if LaBeouf was convicted on these charges, the Museum of the Moving Image shut down the exhibition several weeks later, citing safety concerns.
That same year, LaBeouf also reportedly had an outburst at a California bowling alley after they declined to serve him French fries, and was arrested in Georgia on charges of disorderly conduct, intoxication, and and obstruction. In October 2017, LaBeouf pled guilty to one count of obstruction, and was ordered to complete community service and anger management classes as a result.
The "Holes" star later apologized on Twitter for his racist tirade against one of the arresting officers in Georgia, who was a Black man, writing in part: "My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst. It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom."
After a short break from acting, LaBeouf had two critically-acclaimed projects premiere in 2019.
"Honey Boy," which stars LaBeouf, FKA Twigs, and Lucas Hedges, was written by LaBeouf while he was in court-ordered rehab and at the time said to be loosely based on his troubled upbringing and complicated relationship with his father. The film received critical acclaim, with many lauding LaBeouf's script in addition to his onscreen performance.
That same year, another critically-acclaimed film starring LaBeouf ("The Peanut Butter Falcon") also premiered.
LaBeouf's career appeared to once again be on the upswing when he was cast opposite Florence Pugh in Olivia Wilde's film "Don't Worry Darling" in April 2020.
The project generated lots of buzz after it was first announced, and LaBeouf was originally set to play the role of Jack, husband to Alice (Florence Pugh).
But his work in the film "The Tax Collector," which was released in July 2020, generated some controversy.
LaBeouf was the only white actor in the Latine-centric cast, and the Los Angeles Times criticized the star for acting like an "LA cholo" complete with a "barrio accent."
Director David Ayer later defended LaBeouf on Twitter, arguing that the actor isn't engaging in "brownface," but rather "is playing a whiteboy who grew up in the hood."
"This is a Jewish dude playing a white character. Also the only white dude in the movie," Ayer tweeted.
In September 2020, LaBeouf was charged with battery and petty theft.
The actor reportedly became involved in a physical altercation with a man named Tyler Murphy. Although the incident took place on June 12, the charges against LaBeouf were filed on September 24, according to the Associated Press.
That same month, Harry Styles was tapped to replace LaBeouf in Wilde's "Don't Worry Darling." At the time, it was reported that LaBeouf was forced to exit the project due to a "scheduling conflict."
LaBeouf's ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit against the actor in December 2020 saying their relationship was abusive.
In a bombshell lawsuit filed in December 2020, singer FKA Twigs (who starred in "Honey Boy") accused LaBeouf of physically and emotionally abusing her over the course of their relationship.
Twigs, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, and LaBeouf became romantically involved in 2018, after wrapping "Honey Boy." During their nearly year-long relationship, Twigs said in her lawsuit that LaBeouf knowingly infected her with an STI, choked her, grabbed her so hard her skin bruised, and refused to let her wear clothing to bed. Twigs also said LaBeouf kept a loaded firearm next to their bed, which terrified the singer.
Another of LaBeouf's exes, stylist Karolyn Pho, also made similar claims against the actor in the suit.
The New York Times' report about Twigs' lawsuit included a statement from LaBeouf, which read in part: "I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I'm ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt."
LaBeouf also told the Times that "many of these allegations are not true."
Per Rolling Stone, the trial date for the case is April 17, 2023.
In December 2020, reports suggested that LaBeouf had actually been fired from Olivia Wilde's film "Don't Worry Darling" and didn't drop out due to scheduling issues, as previously reported.
While initial reports regarding LaBeouf's departure from the thriller said that the actor left due to scheduling concerns, Variety reported that LaBeouf was actually fired after displaying "poor behavior" to the cast and crew, including director Wilde.
Reports on LaBeouf's exit from "Don't Worry Darling" broke shortly after Twigs' lawsuit against him became public. At the time, the actor didn't comment publicly on the circumstances surrounding his departure.
In 2021, the actor took a step back from acting to reportedly focus on treatment.
Variety reported at the time that LaBeouf was taking a break from acting to receive inpatient care, even severing ties with his talent agency CAA. It wasn't clear what LaBeouf was receiving treatment for, although the Variety report noted his history of "alcoholism and aggression."
In August 2021, LaBeouf's career hiatus seemed to be over after news of his casting as the Italian saint Padre Pio broke.
LaBeouf was cast as the young monk in Abel Ferrara's upcoming feature in August 2021. Ferrara told Variety at the time that the film was to be set after World War I in Puglia, Italy, and would follow Pio during his rise to saintdom.
The film later premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September 2022. It received poor reviews, and currently holds a 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
In late March or early April of 2022, LaBeouf and actress Mia Goth welcomed a child together.
The couple was spotted walking with a baby stroller in California, after news of Goth's pregnancy broke in February 2022. LaBeouf later revealed (in a letter to director Olivia Wilde) that he and Goth had welcomed a daughter together, and that her name was Isabel.
Goth and LaBeouf have been linked since 2012, after they both starred in "Nymphomaniac." The couple later tied the knot in a Las Vegas ceremony in 2016, but Goth filed for divorce in 2018, the same year LaBeouf and Twigs began dating.
The "Honey Boy" actor recently revealed that despite not speaking to him since their divorce, Goth still reached out to LaBeouf when he was in rehab in 2021, leading to their reconciliation shortly thereafter.
LaBeouf broke his silence on his former partners' abuse allegations against him during an appearance on Jon Bernthal's podcast in August 2022. The "Holes" star also said that most of "Honey Boy" is "fucking nonsense."
During his appearance on Bernthal's "Real Ones" podcast in August 2022, LaBeouf addressed the allegations made against him by ex-girlfriends FKA Twigs and stylist Karolyn Pho.
"I hurt that woman," LaBeouf said on the podcast, presumably referring to Twigs. "And in the process of doing that, I hurt many other people, and many other people before that woman."
"I was a pleasure-seeking, selfish, self-centered, dishonest, inconsiderate, fearful human being. When I think about what my life has become, and what it is now, like what my purpose is now, I need to be useful," he continued. "And when I look at this #MeToo environment, there's not a whole lot of dudes that are taking accountability."
LaBeouf told Bernthal that he even considered suicide after the accusations against him became public.
The "American Honey" actor went on to discuss his film "Honey Boy," which he called "nonsense" and said didn't accurately portray his childhood.
"My dad never hit me, never. He spanked me once, one time. And the story that gets painted in 'Honey Boy' is this dude is abusing his kid all the time," LaBeouf told Bernthal.
The "Transformers" star added fuel to the "Don't Worry Darling" fire in August by claiming that director Wilde had begged him to stay on the film.
Reports about LaBeouf's exit from the project suggested that the controversial star had been fired due to his on-set behavior and acting methods, but LaBeouf ignited a social media frenzy after disputing that narrative in a series of emails to Variety in August 2022.
The actor shared screenshots of emails he claimed to have sent to Wilde, after she reiterated in an August 2022 cover story for Variety that LaBeouf was removed from the project due to "combative energy."
In the emails, however, LaBeouf reportedly told Wilde that he "quit" the film because there wasn't enough rehearsal time for him and the other leads.
The actor leaked text messages between him and Wilde (in one, the director reportedly thanks LaBeouf for considering the project) and a video where Wilde appears to encourage him to stay on board, and refers to star Florence Pugh as "Miss Flo."
Later that same month, LaBeouf's casting in Francis Ford Coppola's film "Megalopolis" was announced.
Also starring in the ensemble drama are Jason Schwartzman, Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, and Aubrey Plaza. The film will reportedly focus on political struggles in a "modern world" haunted by "the fate of Rome," per Deadline.
Deadline also noted that LaBeouf is "on the comeback trail" following his numerous controversies.
A representative for LaBeouf didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on the various allegations against LaBeouf.
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