Shia the Movie Star?
Shia LeBoeuf may have an unusual name, but he’s nearing a level of fame where most people recognize it right away. He has appeared in two summer blockbusters in back to back years with Transformers and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Audiences should expect Shia's star to continue rising as he starts to move into major leading man status.
Everyman
Much like Tom Hanks, or Will Smith, Shia Leboeuf has an everyman quality. But while Hanks might seem like a cool neighbor and Smith like a fun friend, Lebouef is more like a smart-mouth cousin. He is relatable in that sense. Everyone knows someone like the persona Leboeuf brings to the screen. In Disturbia and Transformers Leboeuf traded on his everyman qualities to play everymen caught in extraordinary situations, grounding both films in some sense of reality.
Getting By
Leboeuf also is a talented enough actor to play a role that should be irritating without making it so. As fast-talkers in Constantine and I, Robot, Leboeuf managed to be funny and endearing, not grating. As the laughably silly Marlon-Brando/Fonzi character Mutt Williams in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Leboeuf underplayed his role enough to prevent the character’s inherent ridiculousness from festering onscreen. As written, the role Leboeuf played in Crystal Skull should have been unfunny and tired. As played by Leboeuf, the character remained relatable and at least somewhat funny.
Getting Older
Leboeuf has now reached a point in his career where he wants to transition to leading man-type roles. Examples in support of this include his recent GQ cover and leading role in the upcoming film Eagle Eye, in both cases he has prominently grown previously unseen facial hair and dressed more elegantly than in previous roles. It’s even been rumored George Lucas would like to continue the Indiana Jones franchise with Leboeuf as the lead. With so many major roles under his belt already Leboeuf seems poised to take the next step. His thriller Disturbia, arguably his only major commercial starring role where he was the sole draw, opened strong and showed great staying power at the box office in the U.S. Taking into account Transformers as well, films starring Shia Lebeouf have already grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. With the upward direction Lebouef’s career is going, expect to see that smart-mouth cousin a lot more often in the years to come.
