Shia LaBeouf reveals major life change after ‘darkest time’ of his life

Troubled actor Shia LaBeouf has made an unexpected announcement after several scandals including allegations of sexual and emotional abuse.

Actor Shia LaBeouf has announced he has become a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

LaBeouf revealed his conversion in an interview this week with Bishop Robert Barron, from Catholic Ministry and media organisation Word on Fire, Fox News reports.

It comes months after the troubled actor emerged in puzzling paparazzi photos wearing monks robes outside his home in LA last November.

The Transformers actor, 35, first engaged with the church while living with a monastery of Franciscan Capuchin friars in order to better understand the late mystic St. Padre Pio, whom LaBeouf portrays in upcoming movie Padre Pio.

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LaBeouf has been staying out of the spotlight since allegations of abuse emerged in 2020. Picture: WireImage.

LaBeouf explained that he was at the darkest point in his life when he took on the project after a series of public scandals including accusations of “verbal and sexual abuse” from ex-girlfriend, singer FKA Twigs.

Twigs, 33, accused LaBeouf in a lawsuit last year of choking her, knowingly giving her an STD, and inflicting emotional abuse on her.

Another ex-girlfriend was listed in the lawsuit and claimed LaBeouf was abusive toward her.

Last year, LaBeouf was also charged with two misdemeanours — petty theft and battery — after he stole a man’s hat in a fight that turned physical.

LaBeouf said he had been fighting thoughts of helplessness and suicide following his public scandals, and was drawn to spirituality and joined a variety of faith groups to find meaning.

“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. You can’t go outside and get like, a taco.”

“But I was also in this deep desire to hold on,” he added.

LaBeouf, who has had several run-ins with police, says he ‘didn’t want to be alive’ after his many public scandals. Picture: Getty Images.

The actor described finding faith during his research by surprise, saying that his mindset going into the film was focused on his career.

“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,” LaBeouf said in the interview.

He continued, “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.’”

LaBeouf went on to say the Christian understanding of sin and forgiveness, as well as meeting others who had struggled morally, was key to pulling him out of a dark time in his life.

LaBeouf said he didn’t intend to find his faith when embarking on the film research. Picture: Getty Images.

“It was seeing other people who have sinned beyond anything I could ever conceptualise also being found in Christ that made me feel like, ‘Oh, that gives me hope,’” LaBeouf told the bishop.

“I started hearing experiences of other depraved people who had found their way in this, and it made me feel like I had permission.”

LaBeouf plays the titular character in Padre Pio, a film helmed by Abel Ferrara exploring the life of the Franciscan Capuchin mystic.

Earlier this week, director Olivia Wilde revealed LaBeouf was let go from her film Don’t Worry Darling during early production in 2020 to ensure lead actress Florence Pugh felt “safe” throughout filming.

LaBeouf was replaced with Harry Styles.

The actor has been keeping a low profile over the past two years. He and wife Mia Goth, who he met while filming Nymphomaniac: Vol II, welcomed a child earlier this year.

Originally published as Shia LaBeouf reveals major life change after ‘darkest time’ of his life