Shia LaBeouf and Redemption Stories

I love a good redemption story. I enjoy watching a character in a movie or TV show evolve from villain to hero. Redemption is one type of character arc, or a transformation that a character in a story goes through. I often find that some of my favorite characters are the bad guys gone good. There are so many examples, from Darth Vader to Scrooge, The Grinch to Gru, Zuko to Doc Ock. The list could go on, but the point is, we are fascinated by these folks who have a change of heart. There’s just something so satisfying about watching the antagonist morph into something beautiful on screen. It’s even more rewarding to see a redemption in real life. The best of these accounts often come from unexpected sources and many happen in ways that are nothing short of a miracle. For example, St. Paul had such a dramatic change, that the apostles needed convincing that he had truly moved on from persecuting them, and for a while they were wary. St. Augustine had a conversion after years of his mother praying for him. It’s not just some of the saints’ stories. There is bound to be someone we each know in our lives who was headed down a wrong path but mended their ways. One real-life run-in with vindication happened recently, to an actor you may have heard of: Shia LaBeouf.

Of course, it’s not really fair to call these real-life people “villains”. In reality, people may do villainous things, but that’s not who they are really meant to be. We are all broken and in need of redemption. That’s all part of being human. One minute we do a good deed, and the next moment we dabble in wrongdoing. The best redeemed bad guys on screen are the ones that are this complex. They are also the ones that often make the biggest mistakes, making their turn to the light even more fulfilling. It seems to be the same way in real life. It’s the people who have strayed into darkness but, despite the odds, have found God’s sanctifying grace, that really give us hope. We look at their stories and say, if they can fight the good fight, then I can too.

When I saw Shia LaBeouf’s recent interview with Bishop Barron, I couldn’t help but feel the kind of joy and hope I spoke of above. Shia LaBeouf is an actor known for his roles in Transformers, Holes, and The Peanut Butter Falcon. He’s sharp as a tack and has done some great work. Unfortunately, he’s also been known for some infamous controversies throughout his career. Among these are disorderly conduct, numerous arrests, altercations with co-stars, abuse allegations, and rehab. His childhood did not appear to be an easy one, especially after his parents divorced, and he turned to acting to help provide for the family. At one point in time, the tabloids seemed to talk more about the latest Shia LaBeouf scandal than his next movie role. With all this in mind, it came as a bit of a surprise to me when I heard the news of Shia’s new part he’d be undertaking. Last year, it was announced that he would be portraying Padre Pio in an upcoming movie. The media seemed to question this, especially with Shia’s recent abuse allegations. Why was this man being chosen to play a saint? My initial uncertainty turned to excitement when I thought of the possible outcomes for this actor. As a film fan and a Catholic, I love to hear of opportunities for actors to connect with the Catholic faith. Occasionally, I pray to St. Genesius, patron saint of actors, for the conversion of performers, so I added Mr. LaBeouf to my list. In the back of my mind, I hoped Shia would have a conversion with the help of his new role. I occasionally checked in to see if there was any news on the movie’s production, but otherwise I didn’t think too much more about it. 

That all changed when, a couple weeks ago, Bishop Barron published a YouTube video where he sat down with LaBeouf to discuss the new movie. I enthusiastically began to listen to the interview, but I could not have expected what came next. Shia went on to tell how he had been in a rough place when the job came along. He had felt his career was coming to an end and said he had even contemplated suicide. When he received the Pio role, his ego inflated again, and he took it, hoping to make a career comeback. For his research, he went to live around the Capuchin friars in Santa Ynez, California. At first, he only lived in his truck and took in what the friars were doing from a distance, but eventually, he began to befriend the Capuchins. Shia found himself drawn to something as simple as sharing laughter with them, and he was fascinated by their joy and simplicity. His research turned into a journey of faith, and the friars and sisters (of the Sacred Heart) began to catechize him. They found out that Shia had been baptized and soon they allowed him to begin receiving Holy Communion. Now a Catholic, LaBeouf dived into the role of Padre Pio even more, fully immersing himself, which included nurturing a great love for the traditional Latin Mass. The friars taught him about suffering and how Shia’s newfound purpose could be through service to others. With the help of the Capuchins, he was also inspired to improve himself as a man, husband, and father. Most of all, Shia found comfort in the great redemption stories of St. Augustine and St. Francis of Assisi. He figured, if these great sinners could become great saints, then there was hope for him too. 

It’s safe to say that by the time the video ended, I had a big, stupid grin on my face. I was expecting an interesting interview, but I had no idea that it would end with the news that Shia had converted to Catholicism. There is no doubt in my mind that Padre Pio interceded for the man portraying him. I’d like to think St. Genesius had a hand in his conversion too. The joy I feel of hearing about a brother in Christ coming home is like the satisfaction of a movie character being redeemed, except a million times better. As a kid, I enjoyed LaBeouf’s acting, but when I began to hear of his misdemeanors, I wondered how he could get out of the rut he seemed to be stuck in. Now, after watching him tell the account of his miraculous past year, I realize God is trying to teach me something. He’s showing me that we should never lose hope, no matter how far someone has wandered. No one is ever far from God. Just like the rest of us, Shia LaBeouf will still have an uphill battle the rest of his life, fighting against the temptations of this world and the mistakes of his past. The good news is, a saint is just a sinner who never gives up. I pray that Shia and all of us never lose hope as God writes the rest of our redemption story.

Written by the Holy Rukus