From his child star days, through his headline turbulence to his leading roles, we pick Shia LaBeouf’s most memorable moments to celebrate his birthday.
After all his highs and lows, we still love Shia LaBeouf. Although it might seem like he’s the subject of headlines more often than not, he’s got a strange charm about him. From his art shows and red carpet stunts to his roles in a varied selection of films, from Hollywood blockbusters like Transformers to niche roles, like his appearance in Nymphomaniac, we’re always wondering what is going on in his head. It could all be the master plan of an enigma, or he could just be having a great time between working and going wild.
Either way, happy 29th birthday Shia! Here’s your best moments.
EVEN STEVENS
This was the way most of us first saw Shia. A cheeky but sweet little brother on Even Stevens. He reportedly auditioned with a stand-up routine not quite fit for a 10-year-old and of course, stole the show.
HOLES
Playing Stanley Yelnats in Holes as a teen, Shia was still a baby-faced actor making his first moves. In, the critically acclaimed book turned movie, starring alongside alien babe Sigourney Weaver, Shia won all our hearts as the falsely accused underage criminal, forced to dig holes in the desert as his sentence.
SKYWRITING
Accused of plagiarising work by Daniel Clowes, Shia decided to apologise via the medium of skywriting. In LA. Where Daniel Clowes doesn’t live. Neither subtle nor effective but his written apologies have apparently since been plagiarised too.
PAPER BAG
If you want to slip by quietly unnoticed on the red carpet, surely the one thing you don’t do is wear a paper bag on your head. His attempt to dispel any claims he was famous was of course, unsuccessful as press worldwide spread the images instantaneously.
MIA GOTH
Meeting on set for a film called Nymphomaniac might not be a conventional way of beginning relationships but Mia Goth and Shia have managed it. The pair met on set for Lars Von Trier’s movie in 2013 and are since rumoured to be engaged after a ring was spotted on 21-year-old Mia’s finger.
SIA’S ELASTIC HEART
It’s not the first time Shia has dabbled in music videos (he got naked for Sigur Ros that one time, remember?), but his performance alongside Dance Moms star Maddie Ziegler was completely unexpected. Of course the internet was in uproar over the ambiguous film of the teenager and then 28-year-old both wearing nude underwear and performing expressively, but Sia herself since apologised explaining that her only intention was to make something emotive.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
Shia’s most recent viral moment? His motivational speech from his 31 minute video, made with Nastja Säde Rönkkö and Luke Turner, as part of his latest foray into the art world. Shot in front of a green screen, it’s Shia exclaiming that you need to “JUST DO IT” to the point where it all gets just a bit overwhelming. That’s the beauty of it though, as it’s perfectly ridiculous alone but because of the screen, anyone at all can edit their own versions. Google it. You could find absolutely anything. Don’t blame us if you end up in an Internet black hole at 4am.