Shia LaBeouf Opens Up About Arrests, Struggles With PTSD

Shia LaBeouf Charlie Countryman

Shia LaBeouf is an upfront kind of guy. Whether you love him or hate him, he's going to be straight with the public. The Transformers actor not the kind of guy to sugarcoat things, most especially about his own flaws. In a recent interview, the actor opened up about his arrests and his addictions, while also revealed he has PTSD from childhood trauma.

This comes from a conversation with Esquire, partly to promote his film, Borg vs. McEnroe. It's during this chat Shia LaBeouf got candid about his history of arrests. LaBeouf claims it stems from a horrific incedent from his childhood. LaBeouf revealed that he witnessed the sexual assault of his mother when he was only nine, which is believed to be the source of his PTSD. Since then, the method actor has grown defensive, with a "hair trigger" towards violence, and a sensitivity when it comes to his mother. When Labeouf was first arrested with a charge, the reason he lashed out was because LaBeouf believed he needed to "avenge" his mom after a minor accident.

When I got to rehab last year, they said I had PTSD... The first time I got arrested with a real charge, it stemmed from the same shit. Some guy bumped into my mother's car with his car in a parking lot, and my head went right to 'You need to avenge your mother!' So I went after the dude with a knife... I've always thought somebody was coming in. My whole life.

Shia LaBeouf also revealed that, because his trauma, he actually sleeps with a gun. In the same interview, Shia LaBeouf also discussed his recent Georgia arrest for public intoxication in July. He takes responsibility for his actions, and considers himself mortified by what happened there. The altercation in question occured when Shia LaBeouf became furious when an officer denied him a cigarette. The actor quickly became combative, and a ranting arrest video shows LaBeouf bragging about his "millionaire lawyers" and using a steady stream of demeaning slurs towards the two officers.

What went on in Georgia was mortifying. White privilege and desperation and disaster. It came from a place of self-centered delusion. It was me trying to absolve myself of guilt for getting arrested. I fucked up.

Ultimately, Shia LaBeouf believes he needs to "take ownership" of his failures and demons, and that it's time for him to "clean up" his "side of the street." He has been working with a therapist, notably in preparation for interviews about this upcoming movie, and he also recently went to rehab. While there might be some people critics who believe it's all an act, LeBeouf seems to be putting a concerted effort on wellness.

I'm a buffoon. My public outbursts are failures. They're not strategic. They're a struggling motherfucker showing his ass in front of the world.

Later in the profile, Shia LaBeouf discussed his acting career, and he revealed that he is creatively left unfulfilled by the Transformers films. Having led the first three films -- Transformers (2007), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), respectively -- the actor believes that the movies will not stand the test of time. He went so far as to say they "felt irrelevant" and that they also felt "dated as fuck." He also claimed that making them was the opposite of his true purpose. Like I said, the man is not holding back. So, yeah, don't expect Shia LaBeouf to return to work with Michael Bay anytime soon. In fact, LaBeouf has seemingly zero interest in returning to the big world of blockbusters.

Like I said, Shia LaBeouf is one honest individual. He'll next be seen in Borg vs. McEnroe, set to be released on April 13. LaBeouf also recently filmed a part in The Peanut Butter Falcon, which is also expected to arrive later this year.

Will Ashton

Will is an entertainment writer based in Pittsburgh, PA. His writing can also be found in The Playlist, Cut Print Film, We Got This Covered, The Young Folks, Slate and other outlets. He also co-hosts the weekly film/TV podcast Cinemaholics with Jon Negroni and he likes to think he's a professional Garfield enthusiast.