Shia LaBeouf made a rare public appearance at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where he walked the red carpet for the premiere of his latest film, Megalopolis. The 37-year-old actor, sporting a tuxedo and bleached blond hair, attended the event in France alongside the film’s ensemble cast, including Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Grace VanderWaal, and Giancarlo Esposito.
Megalopolis, written and directed by the legendary Francis Ford Coppola, who was also present at the premiere, is described as “a Roman epic in an imaginary decadent modern America.” According to the festival’s synopsis, the film follows an idealist architect and a corrupt mayor battling for control of the future of a decaying city called New Rome. LaBeouf and Jon Voight play key roles as emblematic characters caught between the two men.
LaBeouf’s last major red carpet appearance was at the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9, 2020, where he presented the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film with his Peanut Butter Falcon co-star Zack Gottsagen. Megalopolis marks LaBeouf’s first significant role since the 2020 biopic Padre Pio, released shortly before his former girlfriend FKA twigs filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of sexual battery and “relentless abuse.”
Following the allegations in February 2021, LaBeouf sought inpatient treatment and parted ways with his agency, CAA, taking a hiatus from acting. In August 2022, LaBeouf denied reports that he was fired from Don’t Worry Darling by director Olivia Wilde, asserting that he “quit the film due to lack of rehearsal time.”
“My failings with Twigs are fundamental and real, but they are not the narrative that has been presented,” LaBeouf wrote in an email to Wilde, obtained by Variety. “There is a time and a place to deal with such things, and I am trying to navigate a nuanced situation with respect for her and the truth, hence my silence.”
In November 2022, LaBeouf was spotted filming Megalopolis in Atlanta, marking his return to the big screen. His appearance at Cannes signals a significant step in his career comeback as he navigates personal and professional challenges.
Megalopolis is poised to captivate audiences with its ambitious storyline and star-studded cast, and LaBeouf’s performance is eagerly anticipated as he re-emerges in the public eye.
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