Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf has made a surprising revelation about the extreme lengths he went to for his latest film role, admitting he used PEDs that nearly put his health at serious risk.
During a Q&A session for the premiere of Salvable, LaBeouf candidly discussed his dramatic physical transformation for the British indie film, where he plays a character in the world of traveling boxers. The actor revealed he gained significant weight for the role, going from his current 165 pounds to a peak of 220 pounds.
“They told I was about to die. We had a cardiologist tell me you got to stop,” LaBeouf confessed to the audience. “I was on like all kind of weird st**oids like uh not st**oids but it’s called SARMs. You know what that is? SARMs… Some weird new ste**id that they gave me that I got big.”
SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) are compounds that mimic the effects of anabolic ste**ids but are often marketed as safer alternatives. However, they carry significant health risks and are banned by WADA.
The transformation was part of LaBeouf’s commitment to authentically portraying his character Vince in the gritty boxing drama. Working alongside former world champion boxer Carl Froch, LaBeouf immersed himself in the traveler boxing community, even engaging in sparring sessions to understand the physical demands of the sport.
“I figured if I was bigger, I could be quieter,” LaBeouf explained about his character’s requirements. The role demanded not just physical bulk but also mastering an entirely new accent to fit into the British traveler world.
The dramatic weight gain came with serious consequences. LaBeouf’s medical team intervened when his health became compromised, forcing him to abandon the dangerous supplementation regimen. “I was eating a lot… I was doing everything,” he admitted, describing the extreme measures he took for the role.
The weight loss process was equally dramatic. “Stop doing SARMS and then stop eating,” LaBeouf said when asked about shedding the pounds post-filming.
“Salvable,” directed by Johnny Marchetta, appears to have been worth the sacrifice, with the audience praising the authentic boxing sequences and LaBeouf’s committed performance.
