Crew Say Shia LaBeouf Was ‘Completely Wild’ on Set of Recent Film Shoot

Months before the actor was arrested in New Orleans, production sources from The Rooster Prince say his actions raised alarm bells on location in Oklahoma Crew Say Shia LaBeouf Was ‘Completely Wild’ on Set of Recent Film Shoot Months before the actor was arrested in New Orleans, production sources from The Rooster Prince say his actions raised alarm bells on location in Oklahoma By Cheyenne Roundtree Cheyenne Roundtree Contact Cheyenne Roundtree on X Contact Cheyenne Roundtree by Email Crew Say Shia LaBeouf Was ‘Completely Wild’ on Set of Recent Film Shoot Miley Cyrus to Revisit ‘Hannah Montana’ in 20th-Anniversary Special James Van Der Beek’s Friend Defends Family’s $2.6 Million GoFundMe: ‘You Have No Idea the Pain’ View all posts by Cheyenne Roundtree February 18, 2026 Shia LaBeouf at the premiere of the film 'The Phoenician Scheme' at the Cannes Film Festival last May Stefanie Rex/picture alliance/Getty Images Months before Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans, the actor’s increasingly erratic behavior sparked concern on the set of his upcoming movie, three production sources say, culminating in the actor running across a live bullpen with a charging bull during an improvised scene. The actor was arrested on two counts of simple battery Tuesday following a fight in the early morning during Mardi Gras celebrations. According to police, the 39-year-old was allegedly “causing a disturbance” and getting increasingly “aggressive” before he reportedly struck two people during the prolonged scuffle outside a bar near the French Quarter. Witnesses held LaBeouf down until officials arrived. He was released later that afternoon and seen jogging away from the jailhouse. In the days leading up to LaBeouf’s arrest, multiple bartenders and patrons told The Hollywood Reporter the actor had become somewhat of a nuisance around town, showing up to various establishments in an “inebriated” state, forgetting to tip, taking off his shirt, and interacting with patrons, posing for selfies and giving one woman acting pointers. Reports about LaBeouf’s behavior and arrest did not shock some who worked on the Oklahoma set of his upcoming movie, The Rooster Prince, last November. “He was completely wild,” says one production member. “I don’t think he’s stable. I don’t know that he’s been stable for a while.” Representatives for LaBeouf did not respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment about his arrest, nor did they respond to a request for comment regarding the concerns raised by production members for this article. The Holes and Transformers star settled in early to Oklahoma City before filming began last fall. Local fans snapped selfies with him and posted on social media about meeting a friendly LaBeouf at various restaurants, boutiques, bars, gas stations, and coffee shops. He had arrived to star in director and screenwriter Josh Soskin’s debut feature film, playing a bipolar Harvard psychiatrist who embarks on a cross-country road trip with his younger brother, played by Tell Me Lies star Jackson White. Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century Five production sources tell Rolling Stone they perceived LaBeouf as adopting a Method acting approach for the role — where an actor fully inhabits a character both on camera and off — but three of the crew members asserted that LaBeouf blurred the lines. He would seemingly dip in and out of the technique (people still called him “Shia”) and they weren’t sure if his behavior could be attributed to the character or not. LaBeouf allegedly pushed the dynamic to the extreme, creating what one source describes as a “hostile” work environment. “There’s Method acting, and there’s whatever the fuck happened on The Rooster Prince,” says a second production source. A third member adds that it was a running joke that rather than “Method acting,” it seemed like LaBeouf was “meth-head acting.” (No crew members indicated to Rolling Stone that they thought LaBeouf was actually using the drug.) A fourth person who worked on the film tempered allegations about LaBeouf’s behavior by stressing that the film dealt with “very difficult and emotional” themes — based on Soskin’s life — and it was on the days “that had very difficult subject matter, [he] put everyone on edge a little bit just due to the subject matter.” This wouldn’t be the first time that LaBeouf has approached his work in an immersive manner. As part of a lawsuit that LaBeouf’s ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs filed against him in December 2020 alleging “relentless abuse,” the singer said LaBeouf took on his roles “in real life.” She claimed that in preparation for the 2020 film The Tax Collector, he bragged that “he would drive around neighborhoods