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Despite a career path most young actors would kill for, Indiana Jones star Shia LaBeouf is not taking anything for granted, finds Roberto Carnavale
hen Shia l.aBeouf describes himself
as 'president of the lucky club‘ he's
not kidding. liven by Ilollywood standards. the Zl—year-old‘s rise has been meteoric
Ilaving shone as the child lead in 2003‘s little— seen Helm l.aBeouf spent the next four years providing plucky support to films like Constantine and I. Robot. Then. in 2007. came the sleeper success of Disturbia. the critical acclaim of A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints and the box office smash 'I'ransjornrvrs. Suddenly. l.aBeouf was everywhere and he followed this by landing a plumb part in 2008‘s most anticipated blockbuster. Indiana Jones & The Kingdom o/‘T/rr' ( 'rjvsta/ Slur/l.
Sitting before me in a plush London hotel. the star is clearly still trying to get his head around being on first name terms with legends such as Ilarrison I-‘ord and Steven Spielberg. ‘I haven‘t accepted any of this yet.’ he says candidly. ‘It all seems like the craziest thing in the world. I‘m a kid from Iicho Park and I shouldn‘t be working with Steven. I mean. it‘s wild when Steven becomes Steven. And "hey Harrison!” 'I'hat‘s crazy as well.’
SUMMER FILMS BEST OF THE REST '
‘My dad didn‘t give a shit about movies. ever. He doesn't care about any of this stuff. which helps to maintain normality. But then when I tell him something like. "We were training today and Ilarrison pulled out the whip and started doing whip training". . . my dad went nuts!‘
Very little is known about the fourth Indiana Jones adventure the first since l‘)8‘)’s Last ('rasadi' except for the fact that it‘s set in l957. at the height of the (‘old War. and Professor Jones has fallen on hard times. I.aBeouf plays Mutt. ‘a rebellious youngster". who carries both a grudge against the archaeologist and a proposition for him that could lead to one of the biggest archaeological finds in history. the (‘rystal Skull of Akalor‘.
Speaking of his larger—than—life co-star.
. i Cate Blanchett and fFord star with LaBoouf in flndiana Jones; and, below.
LaBeouf is clearly in awe. ‘There’s stuff that Harrison’s doing that you wouldn't believe they‘re even letting him attempt.‘ he laughs. ‘The stunt guys are so nervous. sitting there going: “Harrison. maybe not!" But he‘s gung-ho about it. saying: “Don‘t worry. I got it!‘”
‘I Ie‘s a man’s man. He showed up for rehearsal and jumped out of this helicopter onto a motorcycle. And then there‘s the whip training. Indy isn‘t a big removal from Harrison for real. He‘s a super hero. In his off-time he saves boy scouts. That‘s what he does. so he is that guy. He's doing stuff [at 65] I can‘t do and I'm 2] !‘
Post Indy. LaBeouf‘s star continues to rise with another leading role in action thriller [fag/e live followed by the 'l‘r‘arrsjorrrwrs‘ sequel. Not bad for a kid who got into acting as a means to an end: to support his mum. a former ballet dancer from New York. and dad. a French-Cajun former clown from San Francisco.
(‘ommenting on where he sees himself in 30 years. though. LaBeouf is typically realistic: "I‘rain conductor. bag man at the grocery store . . . that's the stuff I dream about. I don‘t go to bed at night and dream about these fantastic things that normal people dream of . . . I dream about real. normal shit such as fixing motorcycles because it‘sjust not accessible at this point.‘
Indiana Jones 8: The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull is out on Thu 22 May.
The Incredible Hulk
Ihe big angry green killing machine gets another bite at the superhero lrlrn franchise cherry (alter the box ollrce disaster of Ang I ee's / ill/k). Ihrs version is adapted by the folk behind the X Men lrlrns. directed by I ours Ieterrrer and stars Ed Norton. General release from In 13 Jun.
26 THE LIST 7?. May 5) .Jun 2008
In Search of a Midnight Kiss I-lavrng done the festival rounds Alex lloldndge's charming. kinetic and funny romantic comedy. which rs set on New Year's I ve In I os Angeles, Irnally rrrakes an appearance in the UK. Selected release from In [If Jun.
3 Adulthood
Sequel to 7000 lirrtllrck
K/(lu/Ihood. Sarn (writer. director
and star Noel ()lark) gets out of prison alter six years and realises everyone else has
3 grownup. Interesting low
budget British social
2 commentary, Selected release E from In 1’0 Jun.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
()K. 2005’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was a bit rubbish but this is the book in ()8 Lewis' series where the action picks up so we are hoping for loads of iapery and adventure. General release from [hit 26 Jun.
Wanted
limur Bekmambetov‘s big-
5 budget all-star translation of
Mark Millar's classic graphic novel about an apathetic young man's journey towards judicial
i heroism. James McAvoy. E Angelina Jolie. Morgan Freeman § and Terrence Stamp star. i General release from f‘fl 2/ Jun.