The 'Transformers' star spent time with Capuchins to prepare for the role.
An upcoming biopic on the early years of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, or Padre Pio, has secured Shia LaBeouf in the starring role. To get into character, LaBeouf spent a few weeks with a Capuchin community in Northern California.
Shia with the Capuchins
Shia recently appeared in a video taken by Father Hai Ho, a Capuchin from the Western American Province in Northern California and shared on Instagram. The Transformers star seemed moved by his experiences within the religious community. LaBeouf said:
Shia is no stranger to religious discovery, especially while getting into a role. During the filming of Fury, in 2014, Shia converted from Judaism to Christianity. According to Churchpop, Shia told Interview Magazine:
The movie
In the social media post, LaBeouf could be seen posing for a picture with the friars. When asked about the movie, he explained:
Variety reports that the film is in pre-production, and is scheduled to start filming in October. Director Abel Ferrara plans to shoot the movie on location in Puglia, Italy. Ferrara has previously made a short film about Padre Pio.
