Shia Labeouf's new interview

(Written by Bob Strauss)

Shia LaBeouf has survived another one.

Another Transformers movie, anyway. One that promises, in the delicate language of a studio promotional campaign, “even bigger giant f---ing robots” from outer space. (Seriously. That’s what it said on promotional T-shirts given out at Comic-Con.)

LaBeouf’s back in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as Sam Witwicky, misunderstood kid turned friend of the good alien Autobots and target of their enemies the Decepticons, mechanical beings that can turn themselves into cars, helicopters and, in a film that climaxes at the ancient pyramids of Giza, probably the most high-tech chariots you’ve ever seen.

Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

LaBeouf is also back in the hands of volatile director Michael Bay, who made quite an impact with the first Transformers by, among other skills, yelling a lot. Of course, standing between the director’s temper and the young, sometimes trouble-prone actor is the formidable figure of producer Steven Spielberg, who’s been a mentor to LaBeouf through such star-making hits as Disturbia, Eagle Eye and, most conspicuously, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which Spielberg directed while giving Shia the plum role of Indy’s son.

“Mike has been better this time, he’s more comfortable and he’s doing different stuff,” says LaBeouf, looking buff but for the cast on his broken hand, during an interview in Los Angeles last autumn. “It’s wild to watch Mike grow up and to acknowledge it. Every filmmaker, every movie out, something changes. You either gain something or you lose something, and I think this time Mike has gained a lot. I also think working with Steven is really transforming Mike. His preparation is very different on this one than it was on the first one.”

Maybe. But one still can’t imagine the soft-spoken Spielberg ordering Transformers co-star Megan Fox, when she arrived on the set of Revenge of the Fallen too skinny for the director’s taste, to go eat some cheeseburgers.

“Megan Fox is gorgeous, still,” LaBeouf gallantly affirms. “And no, I didn’t think she was too skinny when she came back to do this. Megan has never looked bad. There’s always something that Michael says, but he’s been good.”

LaBeouf has been on his best behaviour for a while, too. Over a nine-month period in 2007 and 2008, the just-turned-legal actor had some run-ins with the law, culminating in the late-night summer car crash that damaged his hand and led to the loss of his license when he refused to take a Breathalyzer test (as with the earlier arrest and bench warrant for unlawful smoking, no charges were ever filed against LaBeouf). Many were ready to chalk the incidents up to a child actor losing control when unimaginable success coincided with becoming an adult (he turns 23 this month).

But LaBeouf appeared earnest and sober when we spoke. If he was high on anything, it was enthusiasm for his latest movie, where the injury was written into Sam’s part of the story.

“It’s bigger, faster and stronger than what we did the first time,” he says. “We’re blowing everything up. I was just at Holloman Air Force Base, where we blew up an entire town! There are new characters that are interesting. Our banter is fast and it’s fun, it’s table tennis.”

And what of average-teen-turned-world-saviour Sam Witwicky?

“There’s cool stuff that happens to Sam. Sam starts to lose his mind. He starts having visions of his grandfather, Archibald Witwicky, and that’s fun to play around with. And recess time with John Turturro [who plays the addled fed constantly at odds with Sam] is always fun…. It’s like Groundlings Theater,” LaBeouf says, referencing the L.A. comedy troupe whose alumni include Will Ferrell and Lisa Kudrow. “You’re ad libbing all day long. One of the beautiful things about Mike is that he’ll allow it. You can do free-form thought the whole day.”

Despite his hard-earned success — born into a cash-strapped family of L.A. hippie artists, Shia invented a career as a foul-mouthed child stand-up comic before taking the Disney TV kid route — there’s not a hint of arrogance in LaBeouf. Indeed, he still seems more surprised than anyone that he’s become the highest-profile action hero of his generation.

“Something’s obviously off; nobody expects Garry Shandling to save the world,” he half-jokes, convinced he’s no more attractive nor masculine than the prune-faced comedian.

That noted, LaBeouf otherwise feels at home in the world of high-stakes filmmaking. Working with many of the same people over and over again has brought a sense of belonging that was hard to come by in the rough neighbourhoods and broken homes of his childhood. Of course, he realizes that finding a nurturing work “family” on the sets of nine-figure megaproductions is about as rarefied as it gets, and LaBeouf certainly appreciates it.

“I, personally, don’t think there is a better job on the planet,” he says. “And there is no better way to do it than to make movies with friends. You can bounce ideas and be able to collaborate and not feel threatened for having an idea. And it’s great to be around people who have full existences…. They still have time to make movies, but show me that there’s a cut-off point when life starts.”

After going at TV and movies non-stop for 10 years, LaBeouf is enjoying a little cut-off time himself. He hasn’t worked since Revenge of the Fallen wrapped, and for the first time has shifted the drive that got him to the top (but may also have been steering him toward destruction) into neutral.

“I’ll just play it by ear for a while,” he says. “I could use a little break. I don’t feel any pressure to do anything, really. I mean, we’ve just been goin’. If anything, I feel pressure to slow down.”