It’s a given that actors do bizarre things. Be it for a role, to establish their public persona, or merely because they are unhinged and damaged human beings. While the latter is regrettable and suggests the need for serious help, the former two often fall neatly into the category of “pretentious artist.” The latest to join the illustrious ranks of this group is Shia LaBeouf, whose binge drinking on the set of Lawless made co-star Mia Wasikowska highly uncomfortable.
LaBeouf recently cemented his image as an annoying actor alpha dude in trumpeting the fact he dropped acid to really understand his role in The Necessary Death Of Charlie Countryman. (Let’s be honest, there is nothing lamer or more high school than bragging about doing drugs.) Now he’s at it again, talking about his work in John Hillcoat’s Lawless. A neo-Western set in Depression era Virginia, LaBeouf plays a brother who runs a family moonshine business. To get into the role, LaBeouf bragged about his binge drinking, saying: “Moonshine is different than liquor. Moonshine is closer to heroin.” Sounds totally professional. We understand the need to get what he called a “that drunk bloat” for the part, but he couldn’t just eat a few more bread-based carbs?
Worst of all, his behaviour on set was apparently volatile and made Wasikowska uncomfortable. LaBeouf manspainled the situation, however: “Mia was ready to walk away from the movie. I was really pretty aggressive about it, and not in any kind of weird, strange way, but I don’t think she had ever experienced anything like that.” Thanks for clarifying that you didn’t think it was weird or strange, Mr. LaBeouf! And who cares what she thinks, right?
Though LaBeouf admitted Wasikowska was “calling her attorney, like, ‘Get me the f*ck out of here’” she hasn’t elaborated on her co-star’s behaviour. (Because, you know, she’s a professional.) However, at a press conference for the upcoming Stoker she did acknowledged the veracity in LaBeouf’s stories, politely saying: “It was all true, absolutely, yep.”
The exact details of what went on will probably never be fully known. LaBeouf, however, might want to learn from the Sir Lawrence Olivier who once mocked Dustin Hoffman’s method technique on the set of Marathon Man, saying: “Why don’t you try acting?”
