Shia LaBeouf may have shot to fame as the lead of Disney Channel’s Even Stevens before becoming one of the fastest-rising young talents in the industry after starring in a string of crowd-pleasing box office hits like Holes, I, Robot, Eagle Eye, Disturbia, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and the first three Transformers movies, but he eventually turned his back on blockbusters in order to focus on his reputation as a serious dramatic actor.
While the 34 year-old’s behavior has been more than a little eccentric at times over the last few years, there’s no denying that with the right material he can be one of the most magnetic and watchable performers around. Even his co-stars have been floored by his dedication, with The Peanut Butter Falcon’s Dakota Johnson claiming that he could very well be the finest actor of his generation.
Of course, LaBeouf is well known for fully immersing himself into his characters to enhance his performance, and he’s taken things to a whole new level after getting his entire chest and torso tattooed for his role in David Ayer’s The Tax Collector, which you can see below.
The Suicide Squad and Fury director admitted in a recent interview that LaBeouf is the most committed actor he’s ever worked with, which is high praise from someone who has previously cast the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Will Smith, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt and Keanu Reeves in his previous movies. And he also praised the fact that he goes “all in” when it comes to his roles.
“He’s one of the best actors I’ve worked with, and he’s the most committed to body and soul. He had a tooth pulled on Fury, and then on Tax Collector, he got his whole chest tattooed. So he kind of goes all in, and I’ve never known anyone that committed.”
Ayer must have some effect on LaBeouf, with their previous collaboration on Fury seeing the actor join the National Guard, remove one of his own teeth, refuse to bathe for four months, repeatedly open a wound on his face and convert to Christianity all in the name of bringing authenticity to his role as a World War II tank gunner. And based on the sacrifices he’s made this time around, The Tax Collector looks set to be another memorable performance.
