In a candid interview, Shia LaBeouf drew comparisons between himself and Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet, expressing frustration over the public’s differing perceptions of their shared ambition. LaBeouf, 38, believes both actors share a hunger to be among the greatest in the industry — but only one of them was praised for it.
“I hear Timothée Chalamet get up and he says something like, ‘I want to be great.’ I so know the feeling,” LaBeouf told The Hollywood Reporter. “On him, it’s cute. On me, it wasn’t cute. You know what I’m saying?”
LaBeouf was referring to Chalamet’s acceptance speech at the 2025 SAG Awards, where the A Complete Unknown star openly declared his goal of joining the ranks of legendary actors. “I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet said. “People don’t usually talk like this, but I want to be one of the greats… I’m as inspired by Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando, and Viola Davis as I am by Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps.”
LaBeouf sympathized with that ambition, but said his own drive wasn’t met with the same admiration. Reflecting on his younger years, the Transformers and Honey Boy actor admitted, “I was completely narcissistic and fearful and had a lack of trust. I’ve been under the tutelage of a lot of dudes who tried to mentor me, but I just didn’t trust them — or didn’t like what they made.”
When asked directly if he considers himself a narcissist, LaBeouf acknowledged that ego is part of the job. “To get into this field, there’s a certain level of ego — a certain ego sickness that gets you into acting. And now I’m trying to figure out what the healthy version of that looks like.”
The topic of ego resurfaced as LaBeouf revisited his tumultuous experience with Alec Baldwin during their short-lived collaboration on the 2013 Broadway play Orphans. “By the time Baldwin got there, it was almost unfair,” LaBeouf said. “He’s dealing with both my fractured little weak ego and my desperate need to show him all my prep, or that he would accept me somehow. I was so insecure. That got contentious. Then he got competitive.”
Despite their past tension, LaBeouf says he and Baldwin have since reconciled, crediting their shared hardships and growth. “We made it right. He’s a good guy. He’s just like me. Fear will make you move different. I found it came from having absolutely no spiritual life.”
With a reputation long defined by off-screen controversies, LaBeouf’s latest reflections show a desire to reclaim his place in the acting world with honesty — and perhaps, a little redemption.
