Share

Shia LaBeouf talks about his time in jail

Los Angeles - Shia LaBeouf finds it "freeing to fuck up".

The 29-year-old actor - who was arrested for public intoxication last October - has found himself behind bars five times and thinks it helps his creativity to reflect on his "screw-ups".

He said: "When I'm nervous in my creativity, I think of my failures in life and in art. Thinking about my screw-ups loosens the grip of fear. It's freeing to fuck up and to recover."

The Fury star had found himself behind bars twice by the time he was just 11 years old.

The first time...

Reflecting on his incarcerations in an essay, Error Breeds Sense, which he penned for new book Prison Ramen, he wrote: "I have been incarcerated five times. The first time I was only nine years old. It was in Pacoima, California.

"I was arrested for stealing a pair of Nike Cortezes from a local shop and held for six hours.

The second time...

"The second time I was eleven, in the city of Tujunga, California. I was arrested for stealing a Gameboy Pokémon from Kmart. That time, too, I was in a substation for about six hours."

Despite his youthful experiences, Shia admits he didn't really learn his lesson until he was 20 and found himself behind bars for an attempted stabbing.

The third time...

He continued: "The third time I was 20, in Van Nuys, California. I tried to stab my neighbour and spent two days in jail. While I was there, I at least understood that being in jail is not the move. It sucks ass."

But the Transformers star's bad behaviour continued, and his fourth stint in jail even had some benefits.

The fourth time...

He admitted: "The fourth time I was in Chicago and I wouldn't leave Walgreen's, so I was taken to spend the night in jail. For some reason, I had the best sleep ever."

Shia also spoke about his arrest last year for disrupting Broadway show Cabaret, admitting he "didn't behave very well".

More recently...

He said: "The most recent time was 2014, when I was 28 and in New York City. I went to see the play Cabaret. I didn't behave very well during the performance and ended up spending twenty-five hours or so behind bars..."

However, the Nymphomaniac actor's biggest memory of his final time behind bars was eating a "terrific egg sandwich", and so also included his Egg Ramen Salad Sandwich recipe in Prison Ramen.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE