{"id":212545,"date":"2019-10-17T10:44:02","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T15:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=212545"},"modified":"2020-02-10T23:55:21","modified_gmt":"2020-02-11T05:55:21","slug":"shia-labeouf-costar-down-syndrome-saved-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/shia-labeouf-costar-down-syndrome-saved-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Actor Shia LaBeouf says co-star with Down syndrome saved his life"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Peanut Butter Falcon, an independent film starring Shia LaBeouf and newcomer Zack Gottsagen, who has Down syndrome, has made an unexpected splash in Hollywood. A re-telling of the classic Huckleberry Finn story, the film has almost universal critical acclaim<\/a>, and there are even whispers of Gottsagen being nominated for an Oscar<\/a> — which would be a groundbreaking achievement for actors with Down syndrome. But the movie has done more than garner accolades; according to LeBeouf, his relationship with Gottsagen saved his life.<\/p>\n

In an interview with Cathy Newman of Channel 4<\/a>, a United Kingdom television station, LaBeouf explained that he had become jaded with the film industry, but this movie was unlike anything he’d done before. “I had never worked with an actor like him,” he admitted. “I\u2019d never been involved in a project like this. It felt like it was going to be a really freeing experience, and to be quite frank, I was terrified. I knew that he\u2019d be playing lead guitar, you know, and I\u2019d be playing bass to him. If he went left, I\u2019d have to go left. I\u2019d never been in a situation where so much is dependent on staying open, and reacting, and listening to another performer. I\u2019ve been quite selfish in my choices and my way of working before.”<\/p>\n

He explained further that Gottsagen “softened” him, saying, “The kid in me died and I just got over all this. This roller coaster wasn\u2019t fun after a while. You ride the same roller coaster, it just loses its appeal. Then you go on it with someone who hasn\u2019t been on it before, and somehow, it sparks back up.”<\/p>\n