Shia LaBeouf’s Theater Company From Hell: Cannes Doc Reveals Actor’s Misconduct With Students and Hopes for Redemption

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I recently had the privilege of watching Leo Lewis O’Neil’s documentary “Slauson Rec” at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Initially, it was one of the late entries, but after its debut in the Cannes Classics section, it has undeniably become one of the most talked-about titles at the festival.

The movie, applauded with a standing ovation for two minutes on Sunday, had been hyped up for weeks as an exhilarating journey through a cutting-edge theater group led by a well-known (or controversial, depending on who you ask) actor. Contrary to this, the complete 2 hours and 25-minute documentary, screened in a smaller venue within the Grand Palais during the festival, was nothing like a fun day at an amusement park.

Initially, an endeavor in 2018 aimed at fostering a collaborative “family” of artists and energizing the community of South Central L.A. evolved into something resembling an escalating spiral of ego-fueled chaos, marked by actual violence and intense verbal altercations.

For the first time, LaBeouf attended the screening, where he watched the film. He initially spoke with festival director Thierry Frémaux, expressing his gratitude that O’Neil still allows him to be around and share ideas with him. In the initial scenes of the movie, LaBeouf is interviewed in the present day.

LaBeouf admits he’s spent a great deal of time accepting his past failures and the superficial base upon which he built his life. He acknowledges that his character flaws have left a trail of impacted lives behind.

At the debut event, the atmosphere echoed the experiences of the on-screen theater troupe: a mix of cautious hopefulness and jubilation when LaBeouf spoke passionately about crafting art, palpable tension that choked as he lashed out criticizing actors and team members with self-righteous diatribes, and stunned disbelief upon his attempts to explain his actions. It was a cycle of fury and remorse that led almost 30 audience members to exit the auditorium during the showing.

The intense distress caused by LaBeouf’s behavior often crosses ethical boundaries. A devotee of his work since his days on Disney Channel’s “Even Stevens”, a woman named Sarah gets a leading role in a drive-in play from LaBeouf’s company, right as the coronavirus pandemic begins. While her mother is critically ill and dying in the hospital due to an unknown infection, she decides to continue rehearsals for the opportunity to collaborate with her idol. Unfortunately, her mother passes away, and just two weeks before the play’s opening, LaBeouf dismisses her from the production, claiming that the show would be more effective without her character.

In a situation reminiscent to mine, a fellow team member named Zeke secured a part on Netflix’s original series “On My Block,” coinciding with our company’s projects. It seemed like Shia LaBeouf took a turn, branding him “James Dean” and intensifying his critique of Zeke’s acting skills. This culminated in Zeke resigning 45 days into rehearsals, and LaBeouf initiating a physical altercation with him that resulted in Zeke sustaining scratches and bruises.

A scene featured in a documentary depicts another confrontation between LaBeouf and an individual named Zeke. The video captures LaBeouf forcefully pounding the table with his fist and verbally attacking Zeke, saying: “I don’t care what you tell me… You’ve got it better than I ever did. What’s your problem? I’m giving you my all, so stop bothering me.” Subsequently, LaBeouf pushes Zeke up against a wall.

Before Cannes, Director O’Neil shared with Vanity Fair that his work on the documentary began when he arrived at LaBeouf’s acting class armed with a camera. He explained that LaBeouf invited him to record everything happening at Slauson, which he did over several years until the acting school was shut down in November 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A month following the closure of the school, singer FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit against actor Shia LaBeouf accusing him of sexual battery, assault, and causing emotional distress. In response to footage featuring him in a documentary titled O’Neil, LaBeouf reportedly granted permission for its production without any input regarding edits; consequently, scenes depicting alleged physical violence were included in the completed film.

Shia LaBeouf spoke to Vanity Fair about his statement: “I handed Leo a camera and motivated him to express his unique vision and personal experiences freely, without any alterations. I understand the documentary and endorse its release. Although my teaching methods may seem unusual to some, I am incredibly proud of what these children achieved. With their help, we transformed a drama class into an acting company. I wish nothing but the best for Leo and everyone else involved with The Slauson Rec Company.

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2025-05-18 23:48