Shia LaBeouf Makes Surprise Life Change While Studying for New Movie Role

Shia LaBeouf gained a deeper understanding of religion while preparing to play a Catholic saint. In an interview with Bishop Robert Barron published on Aug. 25, LaBeouf discussed his growing affinity with Catholicism as he prepared to portray Italian priest Francesco Forgione – aka Padre Pio – in the upcoming biopic Padre Pio.

"I didn't want to be an actor anymore, and my life was a complete mess," LaBeouf told Barron. "I had hurt a lot of people, and I felt deep shame and deep guilt."

LaBeouf has had legal issues over the past few years, including misdemeanor charges of battery and theft relating to an alleged altercation with a man in June 2020. His ex-girlfriend, British musician FKA Twigs, sued him in December of the same year for allegedly inflicting repeated physical, emotional, and mental abuse and assaults on her during their almost one-year relationship.

In preparation for the role, LaBeouf lived in his car in the parking lot of a seminary in San Lorenzo, California, after connecting with Padre Pio director Abel Ferrara. Though he initially wanted to rehabilitate his career, the actor said he also views the experience as an act of God.

"I know now God was using my ego to draw me to Him, was drawing me away from worldly desires," LaBeouf said. "It was all happening simultaneously. But there would have been no impetus for me to get in the car and drive up (to the monastery) if I didn't think, 'Oh, I'm gonna save my career.' "

He said studying Catholicism has allowed him to make peace with his past through the sense of camaraderie he found at the seminary."It was seeing other people who had sinned beyond anything I could even conceptualize also being found in Christ that made me feel like, 'Okay, that gives me hope,'" LaBeouf said. "I started hearing experiences of other depraved people who had found their way in this, and it made me feel like I had permission."

Don't Worry Darling star and director Olivia Wilde revealed in a recent interview with Variety that she had initially hired LaBeouf to play Jack Chambers in the film but later decided to cast Harry Styles in that role. She fired LaBeouf after the film's production began because his creative process "was not conducive to the ethos I demand in my productions."

"He has a process that, in some ways, seems to require a combative energy, and I don't personally believe that is conducive to the best performances," Wilde explained. "I believe that creating a safe, trusting environment is the best way to get people to do their best work. Ultimately, my responsibility is to the production and to the cast to protect them. That was my job."

According to Wilde, the actor's subsequent legal troubles reinforced her decision to dismiss him from the project."A lot came to light after this happened that really troubled me, in terms of his behavior," Wilde said. 

"I find myself just really wishing him health and evolution because I believe in restorative justice. But for our film, what we really needed was an energy that was incredibly supportive.Particularly with a movie like this, I knew that I was going to be asking Florence (Pugh) to be in very vulnerable situations, and my priority was making her feel safe and making her feel supported."

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