In 2014, he walked the red carpet wearing a paper bag over his head that said "I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE."
That same year, he got arrested at a Broadway theater for slapping actors during a performance.
Then he skywrite "I AM SORRY" over Los Angeles 11 times.
Then he opened an art gallery where he sat silently while strangers cried on him.
This was Shia LaBeouf—a $30 million-per-movie star having the most public meltdown in Hollywood history.
By 2020, multiple women accused him of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
His response: "I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I'm ashamed."
This is the story of how a child star became a franchise star, then destroyed it all through bizarre performance art, public arrests, and actual abuse—and somehow came back.
The Child Star (1986-2007)
Born June 11, 1986, Los Angeles
Raised in Echo Park, Los Angeles by troubled parents:
- Father: Vietnam vet with PTSD, drug addict, clown
- Mother: Dancer, jewelry maker
His childhood: Poverty, instability, performing for money as a kid
2000-2003: Disney Channel Fame
Even Stevens (Disney Channel, 2000-2003)
The role: Louis Stevens, goofy troublemaker
Emmy Award: Won Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series (2003) at age 17
Net worth at 17: Estimated $2 million
2007: Transformers Changes Everything
July 3, 2007: Transformers premieres
Box office: $709 million worldwide
His salary: $500,000
Result: Overnight A-list star at age 21
The Franchise Era (2007-2011)
The Transformers Trilogy
Transformers (2007): $709M
- Salary: $500K
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009): $836M
- Salary: $5M
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011): $1.1 billion
- Salary: $15M
Total franchise earnings: $20M+ just from Transformers
Peak Hollywood (2008-2011)
Other films:
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008): $790M
- Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010): $134M
- Eagle Eye (2008): $178M
Net worth by 2011: Estimated $25 million
Status: Highest-paid young actor in Hollywood
Salary per film: $10-15 million
The Beginning of the End (2011-2013)
2011: The Split from Transformers
After three films, Michael Bay dropped him from Transformers 4.
Reported reason: Difficult on set, unreliable
Shia's response: "I'm done with that franchise anyway."
Translation: He was fired.
The "Art Film" Phase
Started choosing weird, experimental films:
- Lawless (2012)
- Nymphomaniac (2013) - Full-frontal nudity, actual sex scenes
- Charlie Countrymen (2013)
Critics: "He's trying too hard to be taken seriously."
Box office: All flopped
2013: The Plagiarism Scandal
December 2013: His short film HowardCantour.com was found to be plagiarized from a Daniel Clowes comic.
Evidence: Shot-for-shot copying, word-for-word dialogue
His first response: Denied it
His second response (after proof emerged): Apologized
Then it got weird...
The Bizarre Apology Tour (2013-2014)
The Twitter Apology Spree
Posted dozens of identical apologies on Twitter:
"I FUCKED UP" "I AM SORRY" "I AM TRULY SORRY"
For hours. Same message, over and over.
Then: Hired a skywriter to write "I AM SORRY" over Los Angeles 11 times.
Public reaction: "Is this performance art or a mental breakdown?"
January 2014: The Plagiarized Apologies
The twist: People discovered his apologies were also plagiarized from other celebrities' apologies.
Examples:
- Copied Tiger Woods' apology
- Copied Robert McNamara's Vietnam apology
- Copied various politicians
Him: "Even my apologies are performance art."
Everyone else: "What the fuck is happening?"
The "I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE" Phase (2014)
February 2014: The Paper Bag Premiere
Event: Nymphomaniac premiere at Berlin Film Festival
His attire: Tuxedo with brown paper bag over his head
What the bag said: "I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE"
He walked the entire red carpet like this.
Media: Photos everywhere. Mission accomplished? (He got more famous from this stunt)
June 2014: The Broadway Arrest
Event: Cabaret on Broadway
The incident: Disrupted performance, slapped actors on stage, yelled at performers
Police: Removed from theater, arrested
Charges: Criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct
His state: Appeared drunk or high
Result: Ordered to complete rehab program
The "Silent Gallery" Performance Art
February 2014: #IAMSORRY art installation in Los Angeles
What it was: He sat in a gallery with the paper bag on his head, silently, while strangers entered one by one
What happened: People cried, yelled at him, some tried to comfort him
Duration: 5 days, 6 hours per day
Public reaction: "This is either genius or insane. Probably both."
The Abuse Allegations (2019-2020)
September 2019: FKA twigs Relationship
Started dating British singer FKA twigs (real name: Tahliah Barnett).
What seemed like: Artistic power couple
What it actually was: Allegedly abusive relationship
December 2020: The Lawsuit
Filed by: FKA twigs (his ex-girlfriend)
Allegations:
- Sexual battery
- Assault
- Emotional abuse
- Knowingly giving her a sexually transmitted disease
- Controlling and manipulating behavior
- Death threats
Specific incidents alleged:
- Choking her
- Screaming in her face in a car
- Threatening to crash the car if she left
- Isolation from friends and family
- Requiring "quota" of kisses and affection per day
Additional Accuser
Karolyn Pho (stylist, another ex-girlfriend) joined the lawsuit with similar allegations.
Her claims: Physical and emotional abuse during their relationship
His Response (December 2020)
Released a statement:
"I'm not in a position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel... I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I'm ashamed of that history."
Translation: Didn't deny the accusations.
The Career Collapse (2020-2022)
The Immediate Fallout
Agent: CAA dropped him
Projects: Multiple films canceled or recast
Public image: Destroyed
Net worth: Dropped from $25M to estimated $5M (legal fees, lost work)
February 2021: Jon Bernthal Email Leak
Email from: Jon Bernthal (Shia's co-star in Fury)
To: Shia
Content: "You broke that girl. You broke her in ways that someone should never be broken."
Public reaction: "Even his friends are calling him out."
The Attempted Redemption (2022-2023)
The Conversion to Catholicism
2022: Announced conversion to Catholicism
His explanation: Playing a priest in Padre Pio led him to faith
Public skepticism: "Convenient timing after abuse allegations."
His priests' support: Several Catholic leaders defended his genuine transformation
The Apology Documentary Attempts
Reached out to various accusers to apologize on camera for a documentary.
FKA twigs' response: "I don't want to be part of your redemption story."
Result: No documentary made
Limited Work (2022-2024)
Films:
- Padre Pio (2022): Small release, religious film
- Some art films
Budget: All under $5M (down from $150M Transformers budgets)
Status: Industry pariah, but some indie directors still work with him
The Legal Settlement (2023)
Settlement: FKA twigs' lawsuit settled out of court
Terms: Undisclosed
Her statement: "I fought for this for three years to protect others."
Outcome: No public apology from him, no admission of guilt, but money paid
The Comeback Attempt (2024-2025)
2024: Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis
Director: Francis Ford Coppola (legendary)
Budget: $120M (Coppola's own money)
Result: Box office bomb, but he got work from a major director
Message: Some in Hollywood willing to give second chances
2025: Limited Career
Current status:
- Not blacklisted completely
- Working on small indie films
- Avoided by major studios
- Lower profile
Net worth (2025): Estimated $5-8 million
What the Accusations Revealed
The Pattern of Behavior
Multiple women described similar patterns:
- Love bombing initially
- Gradual isolation from friends/family
- Controlling behavior
- Explosive anger
- Physical violence
- Manipulation and gaslighting
FKA twigs: "He made me feel like I was the problem."
The "Method Acting" Defense
His excuse for years: "I'm just intense, method acting"
Reality: Used "art" and "method" as cover for abuse
Industry reckoning: "Method acting doesn't excuse abuse"
The Performance Art or Mental Breakdown Question
The 2014 Incidents
His claim: It was all performance art commentary on celebrity
Psychiatrists: "Performance art can be a symptom of mental health crisis"
The truth: Probably both
The Genuine Issues
Documented problems:
- PTSD from childhood trauma
- Substance abuse issues
- Anger management problems
- Volatile behavior
His admission: "I've been running from pain my whole life."
From $30 Million to $5 Million
The Financial Collapse
Peak net worth (2011): $25-30 million
Current (2025): $5-8 million
Lost earnings:
- Transformers 4 & 5: $30-40 million
- Other franchise opportunities: $50+ million
- Brand deals: $10+ million
Total lost potential: $100+ million
What He Spent It On
- Legal fees: Millions in settlements
- Rehab and treatment: Ongoing
- Lost work: Couldn't command high salaries anymore
The Victims' Perspective
FKA twigs' Statement
"What I went through was wrong. I came forward to protect others and shine a light on these tactics."
Impact on her:
- PTSD
- Career affected
- Years of therapy
- Courage to go public
The Broader Impact
Women in Hollywood: "We're not staying silent anymore."
The industry: "We can't enable abusers just because they're talented."
The Uncomfortable Redemption
Can He Come Back?
Arguments FOR second chance:
- He admitted wrongdoing
- Sought treatment
- Some victims forgave him privately
- He has talent
Arguments AGAINST:
- Never fully apologized publicly
- Abuse allegations very serious
- Pattern of behavior over years
- Victims say he's still manipulative
Current status: Limited comeback, not full redemption
The Paper Bag to Prison Pipeline
2007: Transformers star, $500K salary
2011: $15M per movie
2014: Paper bag on head, arrested at Broadway show
2020: Abuse lawsuit, career destroyed
2025: Working small indie films, damaged reputation
The span: 18 years from nobody to superstar to industry pariah
The Difference Between Eccentric and Abusive
Hollywood forgives:
- Quirky behavior
- Performance art
- Public meltdowns
Hollywood doesn't forgive:
- Abuse
- Violence
- Manipulation
His mistake: Thinking his "art" covered for the abuse
The Legacy
What He'll Be Remembered For
Not: Transformers or Even Stevens
Instead:
- The paper bag
- The arrests
- The abuse allegations
- The bizarre apology tour
Fair? Debatable.
Reality? That's how it works.
The Cautionary Tale
For child stars: Get help before fame destroys you
For abusers: "Troubled artist" doesn't excuse violence
For Hollywood: Talent doesn't justify enabling abuse
From Plagiarism to Abuse Allegations
The pattern:
- Plagiarized art (2013)
- Plagiarized apologies (2014)
- Couldn't take responsibility authentically
- Escalated to abuse (allegedly for years)
- Finally admitted "I have been abusive" (2020)
Timeline of accountability: 7 years from first offense to admission
The Current State (2025)
Working: Yes, small indie films
Forgiven: By some, not by all
Reformed: Claims yes, evidence mixed
Forgotten: Never (both his talent and his scandals)
Redeemed: Incomplete
The Uncomfortable Truth
He was very talented. Even his detractors admit it.
He was genuinely disturbed. Even his defenders admit it.
He did hurt people. The evidence is overwhelming.
Can someone be both victim and abuser? Yes.
Does that excuse the abuse? No.
Can he be redeemed? Hollywood hasn't decided yet.
From Paper Bag to Reckoning
The paper bag said: "I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE"
The truth: He destroyed his fame through bizarre behavior and alleged abuse
The irony: The paper bag made him more famous, but for all the wrong reasons
The lesson: You can't performance-art your way out of accountability
Shia LaBeouf went from Transformers star to Hollywood pariah—one arrest, one allegation, one bizarre stunt at a time.
And the paper bag became his career's tombstone.
