Shia LaBeouf Sheds Light on Mental Health Issues

Gettyimages | Rich Fury

At just the tender age of 33 Shia LaBeouf has lived more life than most 70-year-olds. The proof is in the pudding and that pudding is his most recent autobiographical film “ Honey Boy”. In “Honey Boy” he portrays his own father in a very honest, gritty, and no holds bar fashion. The vulnerability it would take for anyone to pull off such a personal project is unimaginable, but Shia through his resistance and strength has proved to do it well. In a newly released actors roundtable, he opened up explicitly about his own battles concerning his mental health and his toxic relationship with his father.

The beginnings of Shia’s career were humble. He was on the wholesome Disney show “Even Stevens” as a teenager and also in the beloved film “Holes”. After this calmer time in his life he was hit with the motherload of all acting jobs. He got a title role in the iconic movie franchise “Transformers” alongside Americas raven haired bombshell Megan Fox. It’s clear that to transition from being kind of known to universally sought after can be an ego boost that eventually brings hefty problems that Shia experienced and aided to the decline of his career. Not to mention various controversies and odd public behavior. Interestingly enough when it comes to reaching rock bottom there really is no other place to go but up. So, with Shia’s proactive artistic character choices in stark contrast to the big-budget cash cow that was “Transformers” he was allowed to rebuild his reputation as a respected actor. Some notable works that brought him acclaim were “Fury” alongside Brad Pitt, and “Nymphomaniac”.

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If you take the time to stream Shia’s film “Honey Boy” it becomes easier to sympathize with how he has chosen to go about life. His outbursts and off the wire behavior doesn't seem so bizarre when you understand his upbringing. Living the way he did as such a young child without security or proper love to ingrain within him healthy familial dynamics makes all the sense in the world as to why Shia behaved the way he did, and why he went to a mental hospital. In this insightful actors roundtable alongside heavy hitters like Tom Hanks, Robert Deniro, and Jamie Foxx Shia was questioned on whether his time at the hospital had an effect on his acting. His response was yes. He confidently dropped gems about empathizing with the biggest villain in your life makes you feel lighter, and how leading with love and light is best although it can feel more comfortable to be angry. What people unanimously took away from Shia’s unapologetic poetic words was how even through unspeakable trauma you can always come out on the other side better than before.