Shia LaBeouf was in the news recently for his role in the movie Padre Pio, and his extraordinary conversion story.
Yet, while we’ve seen many interviews post the release of the film, a more informal interview he did with Sara Di Lacovo is also available on Youtube and gives us a little insight into the actor, as well as some reflections we can all think about.
In the interview, which left Di Lacovo sharing “seeing these changes in person and talking with him face to face is something I will carry with me forever,” LaBeouf is true to himself and explains in a simple manner how his faith has transformed him, and how he perceives life. And it’s hard not to be carried away with his enthusiasm and refreshing outlook.
Without giving too much away, LaBeouf explains a question that he asks himself: “What is my purpose?” And his reply is very straightforward: “To help other people.”
For a man who’s had a troubled past and dealt with some serious allegations about his behavior, the actor shared how hitting rock bottom helped him find God. As he stated “You can only find God when you’re really in pain, I think.” And it’s wonderful to hear him say after all the pain he’s been through: “I’m so blessed, I’m so grateful, my life is miraculous.”
However, he also saw the importance of his life experiences, leading him to ask the question: “How can you make your pain useful?” Perhaps it’s a question we could all ask ourselves when life seems insurmountable.
Yet, on a lighter note, LaBeouf also talks about what he learned from the religious he spent time with during his preparation for the role as the Italian friar. In seeing their calm and peaceful disposition, and their utter faith in God, he shared: “I envy people who have no fear.”
And that’s perhaps another lesson we could all learn from the father-of-one, that our faith in God should help us live a life of courage, and hope.
