The 29-year-old star has caused a stir in recent times with his bizarre behaviour – including interrupting a Broadway show and attending a premiere with a bag over his head – and has also sought treatment for an alcohol problem but says working on ‘Man Down’ with director Dito Montiel was good ”therapy” and got his life back on track.
He said: ”He came to my house when I was in a really low place and offered it to me like therapy, like ‘Here’s a healing process so we can jump into together and get well.’ ”
And Shia has now vowed to only work in ”loving, familial environments” where he has the support he needs from now on.
He added to reporters at the Venice Film Festival: ”I want to work with people that I have a connection with. I think for a while I was chasing the 10 list, right? The 10 directors you want to work with — and that didn’t fare well for me.
”I do much better with loving, familial environments where you feel like you can fail and the dude will get you on the other side. So I’m trying to make friends now and work with those people.”
The actor was also delighted to reunite with ‘Lawless’ co-star Gary Oldman in ‘Man Down’.
However, he admitted he follows his ”hero” around ”like a weirdo” because he worships him so much.
He said: ”He’s my hero, I love him.
”I do anything he tells me. I follow him around like a weirdo. I hear he’s going to sound mix or something and I’ll just show up and dude’s looking at me like ‘What are you doing here?’ because I’ve already seen the sound mix but I’m back there and go ‘Hey, what’s up Gary? Looking at sound mix huh?’ ”
Shia has been through a lot in recent months, some even believe that he is ‘troubled’. But what stands out in his latest interview with reporters at Venice Film Festival is how much he has come to value the benefits of a good and authentic relationship especially in times of crisis. Shia may be criticized or believed to be on yet another ‘episode’ where he is exhibiting more of his bizarre behaviour but, isn’t love/relationship something every human being craves? When our world is falling apart, all we desire is that loving, familial environment in which we can refocus and make sense of life again.
More than every loving and supportive relationship we can form with our friends, colleagues and family members, is one strongest relationship that can carry us even in moments when those around cannot do much for us; and that is a relationship with God. If you’d like to know more, please click on the banner below.
Additional content from tv3.ie