Shia LaBeouf has faced his fair share of troubles in the film industry, but nothing makes him any less of a talented actor. LaBeouf began his career as a child & teen actor, with his standout role being in Disney Channel’s show, Even Stevens. However, he is most recognized for his role as Sam Witwicky in Michael Bay’s Transformers series.
LaBeouf has often been labeled as a difficult actor to work with due to reports of his erratic behavior on set. In a conversation with actress Kristen Stewart on the segment Actors on Actors hosted by Variety, both actors discussed various aspects of their professional lives, starting off the conversation with Stewart’s role as Jean Seberg in the political thriller, Seberg.
Shia LaBeouf Felt Like An Outsider Among Actors Like Anthony Mackie
While discussing Kristen Stewart’s film, Seberg, Shia LaBeouf pointed out that Stewart had the opportunity to work alongside actors like Anthony Mackie, who went to drama school. Interestingly, neither LaBeouf nor Stewart had undergone any formal education in acting. The Twilight actress praised Mackie’s acting intelligence and shared that the Altered Carbon actor loved to display his knowledge on set in a way that Stewart was comfortable with.
LaBeouf also added that Stewart’s co-stars in Seberg, Mackie, and Jack O’Connell, both hailed from acting schools, which left him feeling somewhat intimidated. The Honey Boy actor shared that he felt like a nobody in the acting scene compared to these actors. LaBeouf shared with Stewart in the Variety segment:
“But between him and Jack, they’re like, actor school camp, like I think Mackie went to Juilliard. Yeah, those people make me very scared. I just feel judged and like I’m an outsider.”
LaBeouf even used a ‘knitting needle’ anecdote to explain his situation without an acting degree in the Variety interview:
“Like if my knitting needle breaks, I don’t have a f**king knitting needle, I can’t go make a knitting needle. Guys like that, their knitting needle breaks, and they’re like, let me just go in the kitchen and I’ll whip something together and I’ll come back and I’ll knit this sock for you. Me, if my knitting needle breaks, I’m f**ked.”
Interestingly, Mackie went to schools at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), the North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA), and Juilliard School’s Drama Division. The Avengers: Endgame actor is a true prodigy in the acting world with his education.
Shia LaBeouf Used To Walk Around With A Notepad To Appear Studious
Both Shia LaBeouf and Kristen Stewart opened up about their shyness during their younger years. While Stewart admitted to still feeling anxious around people, the Disturbia actor grew out of his shyness and became more outgoing. The Nymphomaniac actor shared that he used to carry around a notepad and write down people’s names and other information.
When the Clouds of Sils Maria actress inquired whether this was for people to like him, LaBeouf clarified that it was not the only reason. He wanted to appear studious and not let people know that he hadn’t attended acting school. Kristen Stewart also identified with the Fury actor’s sentiments and shared that she often began a lot of her sentences with “I know I didn’t go to school, but…”.
Shia LaBeouf’s upcoming project includes the star-studded epic sci-fi film, Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Kristen Stewart is set to appear next in Love Lies Bleeding.
Source: Variety – YouTube
