Just after accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, actor Mel Gibson shared his thoughts on the recent bizarre behavior of former Transformers actor Shia Labeouf, saying that his “heart goes out to [him].”
LaBeouf was arrested and charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of criminal trespassing during a Broadway performance of Cabaret in June. The actor was allegedly smacking audience members, and would not stop smoking or spitting. This comes after a rather pedestrian display of “performance art” LaBeaouf had undertaken during a red carpet event at the Berlin Film Festival. The actor arrived wearing a paper bag over his head that read “I Am Not Famous Anymore.”
Here is poor Shia in his bag:
Alas, LaBeouf warned us this would happen:
In light of the recent attacks against my artistic integrity, I am retiring from all public life.
— Shia LaBeouf (@thecampaignbook) January 10, 2014
Commenting on LaBeaouf’s antics of late, Gibson said, “When I see somebody like Shia LaBeouf with the bag on his head and stuff, my heart goes out to the poor guy. I think he’s suffering in some way, or why would he do that? And it’s easy to point the finger at him and say that he’s this, that, or the other, and it’s easy to judge. But I’m sure he’s going through some kind of personal, very painful, cathartic thing that he has to exorcise and get out there. He’ll probably play it out and come back. He’ll be all right.”
LaBeouf, 28, is a former Disney child star, and got his big break in 2007 in Michael Bay’s Transformers. LaBeouf starred in two sequels, but was replaced by Mark Wahlberg for the fourth installment of the franchise. In 2008, Shia played Henry “Mutt Williams” Jones III in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Gibson added, “I actually like the kid. I think he’s good.” The Braveheart director went on to share his views regarding the nature of fame – “You’re a target. And you have to be really adept at tap dancing and dodging the bullets. And sometimes you get hit. Sometimes mortally. It’s pretty bad.”
Image via Wikimedia Commons