On one hand, while Disney creates a terrific experience for the child actors, on the other hand, those actors often become victims of bullying and mental health issues. Achieving fame at a young age through Disney can simply be overwhelming, and actor Shia LaBeouf is a living example of it.
Coming a long way from his breakthrough role in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens, Shia LaBeouf has experienced his rise to movie stardom. However, the transition experience from series to film projects didn’t come easy for the actor. LaBeouf confessed to being bullied and suffering from PTSD during the early days of his career.
Shia LaBeouf’s Journey To Stardom
Shia LaBeouf has made numerous headlines throughout his magnificent career, however, none were as remarkable as the ones he made during his days as the star of Even Stevens on Disney Channel. Although it was essentially his big start, the actor faced immense pressure on him, with the constant money flow. However, given the situation at home where he believed if he “had more money, there’d be no fighting” between his parents, LaBeouf surrendered himself to the status.
Gambling with his budding career in the Hollywood industry, Shia LaBeouf continued to book roles, including in the classic movie Holes. That is when he formed a father-son type of relationship with Jon Voigt. Thanking Voigt for being a mentor figure and constant support, LaBeouf credited much of his success to the actor. Learning his “craft” from Jon Voigt, the actor mentioned developing a keen interest in growing as an actor.
After filming Holes, Shia LaBeouf continued his friendship with Jon Voigt and further worked together on projects like Transformers. But unfortunately, not all people were as supportive as Voigt, throughout his career. The Disney actor confessed to being bullied at school for his acting career and mostly because of Even Stevens.
“All my friends were [making fun of me], like, ‘Dude, you’re at the Disney Channel!’ It was kind of embarrassing.”
Shia LaBeouf’s Horrifying PTSD Experience
While coming out of the dark pit of a broken family and his childhood bullying experience wasn’t easy, Shia LaBeouf further realized he has hit rock bottom when he started considering alcoholism as a solution to his problem. Unaware of his alcoholism becoming a coping mechanism for the post-traumatic stress disorder that he developed in his childhood, LaBeouf ended up in several altercations and scandals.
Finally completing rehab following his out-of-control alcoholism, Shia LaBeouf stopped drinking entirely and has been clean ever since. However, the actor confessed how he was informed about his prolonged PTSD and lingering psychological issues, in rehab.
“It was the first time I’d been told I had PTSD. I just thought I was an alcoholic, like a true blue drunk and I needed to deal with that.”
Learning about the underlying source of his behavior was quite the experience for Shia LaBeouf. Thus, years later, the actor shared his experience during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast.
“I knew it was an issue but didn’t know there was this extra whole other thing that was hindering my ability to have any peace in my life and my ability to deal with people.”
Eventually, exposure therapy helped Shia LaBeouf process the trauma that he experienced during his childhood years and get rid of the feelings of turmoil.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
