Shia LeBeouf Career Change Is Completely Out Of Left Field
Shia LaBeouf has been in Hollywood since he was a kid, but now it appears the actor is making a pivot to a very different career path. Shia is reportedly considering becoming a deacon, with the Capuchin Franciscan friars taking to social media to announce LaBeouf has “fully entered the Church this past weekend through the sacrament of confirmation!” Confirmation is one of three sacraments Catholics partake in to be initiated into the Catholic Church, with the other two being baptism and communion.
Shia LaBeouf’s confirmation ceremony was reported by The Catholic News Agency, which said it took place on Sunday at Old Mission Santa Ines Parish in Solvang, California. His confirmation sponsor told The Catholic News Agency that the actor intends to become a deacon “sometime in the future.” PEOPLE requested a comment from LaBeouf’s representatives but has not received a response.
Apparently, Shia LaBeouf has been considering the deacon career path since his 2022 film Padre Pio. That film saw LaBeouf playing the 20th-century Italian priest Francesco Forgione. LeBeouf is known for immersing himself in his roles, and he reportedly spent a lot of time in the Catholic church to prepare for Padre Pio. The actor previously expressed his interest in Catholicism during an interview with a bishop named Robert Barron.
This role wouldn’t be the first time that Shia LeBeouf played a Christian that required him to research the Christian faith. LaBeouf previously played a religious World War II soldier in the 2014 film Fury, where he said in an interview that he “found God” doing the movie and “became a Christian man.” It seems that his role in Padre Pio further convinced the actor to take his involvement in the Catholic church to the next level.
While Shia LeBeouf may be considering becoming a Catholic deacon, it doesn’t appear like the decision will be an end to his acting career. LeBeouf’s next big film will be Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, which is set for a 2024 release date. Megalopolis follows an architect who sets out to rebuild New York City after a major disaster.
Megalopolis boasts a massive, star-studded cast that includes Adam Driver, Jason Schwartzman, Aubrey Plaza, Nathalie Emmanuel, Dustin Hoffman, Giancarlo Esposito, Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, and Shia LeBeouf. LeBeouf is also set to appear in a film called Mace and a film called Assassination, which also co-stars Al Pacino. Those films currently don’t have a release date set.
Shia LeBeouf is currently embroiled in a controversial lawsuit where the actor was accused of sexual battery, verbal abuse, and physical abuse by his ex-partner, FKA Twigs. Twig’s trial against LaBeouf is set to take place in 2024. It remains to be seen if the trial will affect LeBeouf’s future movie roles.
Shia Lebeouf and FKA Twig’s trial is tentatively set for an October 2024 date. The trial has been pushed several times due to both parties being busy with scheduling conflicts. Stay tuned for more news on this story as it continues to develop.
