8 Things About Shia LaBeouf

by Chuck Walton

He's been heralded as Gen YouTube's Tom Hanks...the kid who can make millions of iPhone-carrying moviegoers think, I can relate to him. But is he interested in redefining the modern day movie hero? "No," says the hotter-than-hot actor. He just hopes to entertain. So far, so good. In tribute to his output to date, here are 8 things to know about the Lawless star.

Why He's An Actor

Believe it or not, LaBeouf started out as a stand-up comic at the grand old age of 10. In his words, his appeal was being "disgustingly dirty." His movie fans can give thanks to TV's "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." Seeing a friend act on that show motivated LaBeouf to switch gears and become a thespian.

His Full Name

Shia Saide LaBeouf. Shia means "gift from God." LaBeouf means "the beef." Saide means...Saide. The rest of Labeouf's measurments: 5'9 and 3/4"; weighing in somewhere we're guessing between 140 and 150 lbs.; and dob - 06/11/86. That puts him right on schedule for future Hollywood super duper stardom. Tom Hanks at LaBeouf's age was still a full three years away from guest starring on "The Love Boat."

Early Claim to Fame

If not for the Disney Channel, we might never know the names Britney Spears or Shia LaBeouf. Instead of singing his way to fame on the Mickey Mouse Club, LaBeouf pulled all sorts of "zany" hijinx as prankster Louis Stevens on the series "Even Stevens." As a generation of Disney kids grew up and tuned in to more sophisticated fare like MySpace and Guitar Hero, LaBeouf evolved, too, as their TV-star-turned-movie idol du jour.

The LaBeouf Movie You Haven't Seen, But Should

The Disney wunderkind can act gritty convincingly. Long before Transformers (well, a year prior), LaBeouf stood tall in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints - a memoir of Dito Montiel's early days growing up on New York's rough-and-tumble streets in the 1980s. He keeps good company with fellow Gen YouTuber Channing Tatum, Chazz Palminteri, and, as the adult version of Montiel, comeback kid Robert Downey Jr.

His Best Role of 2007

Sorry, Autobot-Decepticon fans, but LaBeouf's own favorite movie role wasn't Transformers new generation action hero, or that cool little surfing penguin he voiced in Surf's Up. LaBeouf's more a fan of Disturbia because it is, in his words, "character-driven" (meaning, you should also go rent A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints).

Once Bitten, Twice Arrested

The first arrest was somewhat amusing. The second one, not so much. In Nov. '07, he was charged a misdemeanor after exchanging some words with a security guard at a Walgreens. Charges were later dropped. In 2008, LaBeouf's truck was totaled and he was charged for drunk driving. Major caveat, though, the police later said LaBeouf was not at fault and was hit by another driver who ran a red light.

He's Currently Dating...

Shia gets around, having counted Transformers co-star Megan Fox and model Lauren Hastings among his past flings. Back in 2010 he and actress Carey Mulligan ended a 15-month relationship. Ah, Young Hollywood.

The Guy Doesn't Just Look Smart

The whole world could have been different. Shia LaBeouf, after attending the 32nd Street Visual and Performing Arts Magnet school, and receiving lots of on-the-set tutoring, was planning to attend Yale upon graduation in 2003. Luckily for his fans, and Paramount Studios (copyright holders to Disturbia, Indiana Jones, Eagle Eye and Transformers), he's decided to hold off for now on that sort of bachelor's degree.