Shia LaBeouf is an actor known for his rigorous preparations and immense dedication and commitment when it comes to films and his roles. Films like Lawless, Nymphomaniac, Charlie Countryman, Man Down, The Peanut Butter Falcon, and Padre Pio all show his commitment to his roles regardless of the outcome of the film. He has never given a bad performance in any of his films and this is a testament to his dedication and passion to his craft. Even though he has been marred with legal troubles in the past, his love for acting has taken over and made him a changed man, devoting his attention and focus to films and acting.
One of his most impressive and unforgettable performances was in the David Ayer film Fury. The Brad Pitt-led film set in World War II had a profound impact on LaBeouf as a person and he underwent a rigorous preparation to play his part in the film.
Shia LaBeouf Went Full on Method for Fury
Shia LaBeouf starred in the World War II action drama Fury, directed by David Ayer in 2014. He played the role of Boyd “Bible” Swan, the tank gunner. The team and cast all underwent rigorous preparations of their roles emotionally and psychologically to portray the feeling of loss and alienation during the World War II era. Shia LaBeouf talked about his intense preparation for his role to Dazed Magazine saying,
“Fury is the most meat I’ve ever had to chew on. David (Ayer, director) told us right from the gate: ‘I need you to give me everything.’ So the day after I got the job, I joined the US National Guard. I was baptized – accepted Christ in my heart – tattooed my surrender and became a chaplain’s assistant to Captain Yates for the 41st Infantry. I spent a month living on a forward operating base. Then I linked up with my cast and went to Fort Irwin. I pulled my tooth out, knifed my face up, and spent days watching horses die. I didn’t bathe for four months. I met some tankers who told me that was just the way it was out there – some guys had the same pair of socks on for three years”
LaBeouf’s extent to authentically portray the role of an individual experiencing war and chaos is commendable. He has put himself through intense physical and psychological methods to feel and transform into the role and stay in character throughout the film.
The Cast of Fury Underwent Rigorous Military Training for the Film
The cast of Fury including Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Bernthal, Logan Lerman, and Michael Peña all underwent rigorous military training to prepare for Fury. They trained under David “Sting” Rae who served in the British Army for 22 years. He talked about the intense preparation and training the cast went through before shooting the film for Gizmodo. He said,
“There were lots of tactic tables, there was gunnery training, there was communications training. Lots of tactics, like I said. Practical safety within the tanks. Or we would do gunnery training and throw them in the tank as well and practically go through it. At the end of the six-day boot camp, we ran a mini exercise where the crew, the five actors, crewed in their positions which were what they were in the film, We gave them a scenario that was Germans out there with there with their tank, and we sent fire rounds and maneuvers, that necessitated a response and certain actions that were set before them. And we let them loose and for 45 minutes they drove around and they were actually driving the tank, gunning the tank, commanding the tank. Everything that a normal soldier would do and reacting to what was in front of them. They did very very well actually”
It seems that the cast was fully dedicated and committed to the film and what it was aiming for. Their hard work paid off as Fury is considered one of the best war films. Its bleak environment and technicalities were praised for its realism and accuracy.
Recent and Upcoming Films of Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf had a great 2019, beginning with The Peanut Butter Falcon, Shia LaBeouf made his screenplay writing debut with Honey Boy that year. The film was based on his childhood and the abusive relationship he had with his father. He also starred in the acclaimed drama Pieces of A Woman (2020), alongside Vanessa Kirby, which chronicled a couple grieving the loss of their child.
He will be next seen in Francis Ford Coppola’s epic sci-fi drama Megalopolis (2024).
Sources: Dazed Magazine, Gizmodo
