Shia LaBeouf claims co-star with down's syndrome 'saved him' after alcohol problems
As he turns year older, we recall the moment Shia LaBeouf claimed one of his co-stars 'saved him'
Shia LaBeouf turns 37 on Sunday (11 June), with his acting career seeing a bunch of twists and turns already.
While filming The Peanut Butter Falcon, LaBeouf said his co-star with Down’s syndrome ‘saved him’ after a string of embarrassing incidents.
The movie, which sees Zak (Zack Gottsagen) run away from his care home to achieve his dream of being a professional wrestler, ending up on the road with Tyler (LaBeouf), is currently rated 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it a ‘feelgood adventure’.
But for LaBeouf and Gottsagen, their bond was more than on-screen chemistry: when the Transformers star was going through a ‘twisted’ time in his life, Gottsagen brought him back to the real world.
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In an interview with Channel 4’s Cathy Newman, the pair talk about their experiences filming the movie, with LaBeouf discussing the privileges of working with Gottsagen.
"I don’t think anybody else could have done what he did in the film… if you brought in Daniel Day Lewis you wouldn’t have had the same moments," the Even Stevens star said.
Since his days battling the Decepticons, LaBeouf has had a difficult relationship with the press, with stories routinely appearing regarding his attitude on-set. Also, who can forget the bag on his head at the premiere of Nymphomaniac?
Back in July 2017, LaBeouf was arrested in Georgia on charges of disorderly conduct, obstruction, and public drunkenness - bodycam footage obtained by TMZ from the incident of the actor outrageously lashing out at officers only made matters worse.
He posted a lengthy statement on Twitter at the time apologising for his actions.
LaBeouf wrote: "I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuse for it. I don’t know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behavior is not lost on me.
"My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst. It is a new low. A low I hope is a bottom."
However, the day after the arrest, LaBeouf was on the set of the film, on a boat - and he ‘couldn’t look anyone in the eye’. That was until Gottsagen put his hand on the actor’s shoulder.
Gottsagen told Newman he gave LaBeouf ‘one chance to prove to himself: never, never, never do this kind of stuff again’.
Newman then asked LaBeouf: "So actually the film sort of saved you in a way - would that be too dramatic to say?"
He replied: "No it’s not too dramatic to say."
According to The Times, Gottsagen’s mother Shelly said LaBeouf hasn’t had another drink since that day on the boat.
Topics: Film and TV, Shia LaBeouf, Celebrity
The UNILAD Team