Is Shia LaBeouf Catholic? What to know about the ‘Padre Pio’ star’s conversion
A changed man.
Shia LaBeouf revealed he is now a Catholic and a member of the Roman Catholic Church after studying for his upcoming film, “Padre Pio.”
While preparing to play the Italian priest, LaBeouf recalled being in a very dark place following a series of scandals that included sexual battery and abuse claims.
“I had a gun on the table. I was outta here,” the “Transformers” actor, 36, said in a YouTube interview with Bishop Barron uploaded Thursday.
“I didn’t want to be alive anymore when all this happened. Shame like I had never experienced before — the kind of shame that you forget how to breathe. You don’t know where to go.”
The actor — who recently welcomed his first child with girlfriend Mia Goth — detailed that he started living with Franciscan Capuchin friars in order to prepare for his role as the famous figure. This led him to find comfort through faith and the religious community when he was isolated from the rest of society.
“The reach-out had happened. I was already there, I had nowhere to go. This was the last stop on the train. There was nowhere else to go — in every sense,” the “Even Stevens” actor told Barron.
“I know now that God was using my ego to draw me to Him. Drawing me away from worldly desires. It was all happening simultaneously. But there would have been no impetus for me to get in my car, drive up [to the monastery] if I didn’t think, ‘Oh, I’m gonna save my career.’”
This revelation came after LaBeouf had several run-ins with the law in 2020 that left the controversial actor out of work.
The actor was charged with petty theft and battery after he got into an altercation that turned physical and stole a man’s hat.
Shortly after he was sued by his ex-girlfriend, FKA Twigs, who accused him of sexual battery, assault and infliction of emotional distress during their short relationship. She claimed that the “Holes” actor had once choked her in the middle of the night along with other examples of physical and emotional abuse.
Another one of the actor’s ex-girlfriends also came forward with abuse allegations claiming he head-butted her on one occasion.
LeBeouf reflected on these allegations in the 90-minute interview, calling his actions “disgusting” and “depraved.” His past decisions made the actor feel unworthy of seeking out religion, but as he read the gospel he felt an “invite” to “let go.”
Yet, it wasn’t until he met with other people who had gone through similar struggles that the actor was able to fully embrace the religion.
“It was seeing other people who have sinned beyond anything I could ever conceptualize also being found in Christ that made me feel like, ‘Oh, that gives me hope,’” he said. “I started hearing experiences of other depraved people who had found their way in this, and it made me feel like I had permission.”
Although LaBeouf’s mother is Jewish and his father is Christian, it wasn’t until now that he felt a strong tie to a singular religion.
Most recently, Olivia Wilde explained that she had fired LaBeouf from her film, “Don’t Worry, Darling” to ensure her cast and crew remained safe. She went on to cast Harry Styles, whom she is now dating.
