Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf has converted to Catholicism after studying it for a role in the movie "Padre Pio."
LeBeouf's exposure to Catholicism while living with a monastery of Franciscan Capuchin friars in order to better understand the role of St. Padre Pio, who he was playing in the movie.
LeBeouf described the time heading into the project as the darkest point in his life following a series of scandals. Spirituality and faith groups drew him in as he was battling thoughts of depression and suicide.
"I had a gun on the table. I was outta here," Shia recalled early on during his interview. "I didn't want to be alive anymore when all this happened. Shame like I had never experienced before — the kind of shame that you forget how to breathe. You don't know where to go. You can't go outside and get like, a taco."
"LaBeouf told Barron that the traditional form of the Catholic mass — celebrated in Latin — was key in both his conversion and his performance...." https://t.co/75lbtZdYdA
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) August 25, 2022
"But I was also in this deep desire to hold on," he continued.
His faith was not found intentionally, he found it through research. Going into the film he was very career-focused, not focused on God.
"The reach-out had happened. I was already there, I had nowhere to go. This was the last stop on the train. There was nowhere else to go — in every sense," LaBeouf said during the interview.
He continued, "I know now that God was using my ego to draw me to Him. Drawing me away from worldly desires. It was all happening simultaneously. But there would have been no impetus for me to get in my car, drive up [to the monastery] if I didn't think, 'Oh, I'm gonna save my career.'"
