“ American Honey” director Andrea Arnold, who generally works with unknown actors, brushed off warnings not to cast LaBeouf in her low-budget film. 30 via A24, LaBeouf stars as the leader of a gang of nomad thieves and misfit kids selling magazine subscriptions on a cross-country road trip. He’s receiving the best reviews of his career for “American Honey,” which screens at the Toronto Film Festival this week after receiving a strong debut at Cannes in May. In the movie, which opens in theaters on Sept. I’ve got to keep my head low.”ĭespite all he’s been through, LaBeouf appears to have turned a corner and reached a creative peak. “Alcohol or any of that sh-t will send you haywire. In an interview with Variety in Prague, where he’s shooting a new drama about John McEnroe, LaBeouf speaks candidly about his ups and downs, and how he has been working hard to put his life in order. He says he hasn’t had a drink in almost a year, and he’s been to AA meetings (though he doesn’t call himself an addict). “You don’t touch it,” he says. “People I respected - dudes I wanted to work with - just looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Life’s too short for this sh-t.’ I’m still earning my way back. But the biggest scandal came in 2014: Drunk on whiskey, he created such a ruckus while watching a Broadway performance of “Cabaret” that police officers hauled him off to jail.Īsked if he was worried at the time that the incident would hurt him professionally, LaBeouf answers honestly: “I had people tell me it was going to,” he says. He’s been dogged by several alcohol-related arrests, a public firing from the 2013 Broadway play “Orphans,” and even accusations of plagiarism surrounding a short film he directed that same year. Over the last five years, LaBeouf has been embroiled in a bizarre off-screen drama of his own making - one that nearly derailed his career. Times staff writers Nardine Saad and Richard Winton contributed to this report.A photo shoot with Shia LaBeouf is a live-wire experience. With his curly locks slicked back, in Nikes and tattered pants, the 30-year-old actor refuses hair-and-makeup, as he blasts songs on his iPhone, singing along to Nina Simone’s “If You Pray Right (Heaven Belongs to You).” He’s friendly, but firm about what he won’t do, and he bristles when a Variety photographer suggests that he step inside an ancient-looking wine cellar. “No,” LaBeouf says, pointing to the bottles of alcohol. LaBeouf and Goth separated in 2018, though they were spotted together in Pasadena shortly after the pandemic began.
Sia did not say when she was allegedly conned by LaBeouf, but he worked with her on the 2015 music video for her song “Elastic Heart.” In the video, he was initially pitted in a wrestling match against “Chandelier” music-video star Maddie Ziegler, with the younger dancer ultimately going free while the actor remains in a cage.Īround that time, LaBeouf was involved with actress Mia Goth. “I owe these women the opportunity to air their statements publicly and accept accountability for those things I have done.” “I am not in the position to defend any of my actions,” the actor said in response to the lawsuit. Singer FKA twigs sues actor Shia LaBeouf, alleging he physically and emotionally abused her during a stormy yearlong relationship. Musician FKA twigs accuses Shia LaBeouf of physical, emotional abuse in lawsuit Days after those disturbing allegations went public, the singer Sia tweeted an allegation that LaBeouf had “conned” her into an adulterous relationship by claiming to be single. More recently, LaBeouf was accused by former girlfriend FKA twigs of physical and emotional abuse. The 34-year-old’s arraignment last fall capped a tumultuous timeline that includes multiple arrests, citations, bad behavior and other conflicts going back to when the “Pieces of a Woman” actor was 9 years old. The incident was described initially by TMZ as a verbal altercation that turned physical and ended with LaBeouf taking off with Murphy’s hat. LaBeouf, who reportedly appeared in court Thursday, also has to obey all laws and can’t contact the victim, who was identified in prior legal documents as Tyler Murphy. The actor has a long history of bad behavior and arrests. Singer-actress FKA twigs has sued ex-boyfriend Shia LaBeouf, alleging physical and emotional abuse. Amid FKA twigs allegations, a timeline of Shia LaBeouf’s arrests and legal woes