Shia LaBeouf plays a version of his own abusive, alcoholic father in the NSFW trailer for “Honey Boy,” which examines the actor’s troubled childhood as he tries to rise to stardom while reconciling with his father and confronting his mental health.
Directed by Alma Har’el and written by LaBeouf, Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges play the young and adult versions of LaBeouf, although the character’s name is Otis Lort. Otis’ dad is a former rodeo clown and felon, and the two live in a motel while trying to find acting gigs for Otis.
“You’re a f—ing star and I know it, and that’s why I’m here,” Otis’ dad tells him in the motel room.
FKA Twigs, Byron Bowers and Clifton Collins Jr. also star in the film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. “Honey Boy” will next be screening at the Toronto International Film Festival next month, before being released in theaters in the U.S. on Nov. 8.
LaBeouf wrote the script for “Honey Boy” while in rehab last year and sent it to Har’el, who directed the film. At Sundance, Har’el told TheWrap that working on the film as an “artistic exorcism,” and an emotional experience for everyone involved.
“You can’t be too emotional on a set,” she said. “I think he’s done the bravest thing anyone could do…he played his own father with whom he has the most complicated relationship with. Obviously, we all went through a lot of deep feelings while making the film, but nothing was too much. Everything was accepted. Whenever the demons came, we danced with them.”
Watch the trailer above, and watch the green band trailer here.