Summary
Shia LaBeouf admitted that it wasn’t easy working with one of the acclaimed directors in Hollywood. TheTransformersstar detailed his filming experience in the flopped epic sci-fi movie.
LaBeouf, an award-winning actor, has starred in several films, includingTransformers(2007 - 2011),Indiana Jonesand the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull(2008),Disturbia(2007), andWall Street: Money Never Sleeps(2010). Throughout his career, he has received several accolades for his acting prowess, including a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series for Even Stevens (2003) and a BAFTA Rising Star Award (2008). LaBeouf had been part of a major 2024 sci-fi movie that underperformed at the box office. He opened up about his filming experience with the director in a recent interview.
On Friday, David Mamet and LaBeouf sat down for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter for their movieHenry Johnson.During the chat, LaBeouf was also asked aboutMegalopolisand working with director Francis Ford Coppola. When asked about Coppola’s direction for his character, LaBeouf said that Coppola thinks of himself as Mamet and that he’s a “theater director guy,” which is not. He clarifies that his statement doesn’t mean Coppola is not incredible at what he does, it’s just that he doesn’t find his “overt notes” beneficial. LaBeouf said of Coppola, “He was very specific, but his specificity wasn’t on the page.” And added:
With Coppola, a lot needs to be talked about. Maybe it’s just the movie that I worked on him with, but it felt like we had to mine his mind to figure out what the f*** we were even talking about.
LaBeouf admitted that when they spoke with each other, he felt like they were not using a “normal language,” so he ended up confused and with lots of questions, and this reportedly affected his relationship with the filmmaker, making him a “nuisance.” Coppola also spoke about LaBeouf in an interview withThe Telegraphin September 2024. According to the director, LaBeouf is “so talented” but the actor has issues and “does create tremendous conflict.” It appears that their approaches are not aligned. If LaBeouf found Coppola’s strategy confusing, the latter felt the same. “His method was so infuriating and illogical, it had me pulling my hair out,” Coppola said ofLaBeouf.
Megalopoliswas a decade-long project for Coppola. He started it in 1977 and invested over $120 million to bring it to life. Unfortunately, it didn’t perform well at the box office. Critics felt that it was incoherent and overambitious, with a convoluted plot. Its blend of science fiction and philosophical discourse also left the viewers confused. Several factors are to blame for the film’s poor performance, including a marketing misstep when they included fake quotes from critics in the trailer. Instead of helping promote the movie, it only damaged its credibility.
Coppola’s unconventional directing style left the cast members confused. This could have affected their interpretation of the scene. The filmmaker was also accused of" chaotic behavior." He allegedly tried to kiss the topless female extras. Coppola denied the allegations, telling theNew York Timesthat he was “not touchy-feely.” The scandal and controversies associated with the director and the movie are among the major factors that held it back at the box office. Overall,Megalopolis’poor performance can be attributed to its complex and incoherent plot, mixed critical reception, production controversies and marketing challenges. Initially, expectations were high forMegalopolis, but it turned out that many, including the cast, were disappointed because their filming experience wasn’t as good.
