Shia LaBeouf Plays a Version of His Own Father in NSFW ‘Honey Boy’ Trailer (Video)

Film based on his own experiences growing up first premiered at Sundance in January

| August 8, 2019 @ 8:25 AM

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.

Also Read: 'Honey Boy' Director and Cast on 'Artistic Exorcism' of Filming Shia LaBeouf's Dark Past (Video)

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.

Also Read: 'Honey Boy' Film Review: Shia LaBeouf Pours Himself into Autobiographical Coming-of-Age Tale

“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.

81 Sundance Portraits From A to Z: Awkwafina to Zach Galifianakis (Exclusive Photos)

  • sundance
  • Awkwafina, The Farewell
  • Demi Moore, Corporate Animals
  • Ed Helms, Corporate Animals
  • Hillary Swank, I am Mother
  • Clara Rugaard-Larsen, I am Mother
  • Grant Sputore, I am Mother
  • Sacha and Rza, Of Mice and Men
  • Peter Sarsgaard, The Sound of Silence
  • Toni Revolori, The Sound of Silence
  • Reggie Watts
  • Zack Galifinakis,The Sunlit Night
  • Jenny Slate, The Sunlit Night
  • Storm Reid, Relive
  • David Oyelowo, Relive
  • Jacob Estes, Relive
  • John Lithgow, The Tomorrow Man
  • Blythe Danner, The Tomorrow Man
  • Director Noble Jones, The Tomorrow Man
  • Annette Bening, The Report
  • John Hamm, The Report
  • Maura Tierney, The Report
  • Scott Z. Burns, The Report
  • Danielle Brooks and Director Chinonye Chukwu, Clemency
  • Alfre Woodard, Clemency
  • Luce
  • Jennifer Ehle, The Wolf Hour
  • Cameron Crowe, Remember My Name
  • David Crosby, Remember My Name
  • AJ Eaton, Remember My Name
  • Ryan White, Dr. Ruth
  • Troup Zero
  • Alma Ha'rel, Honey Boy
  • Byron Byers, Honey Boy
  • Noah Jupe, Honey Boy
  • Clifton Collins, Honey Boy
  • Extremely Wicked Shockingly Evil and Vile
  • Matt Tyrnauer, Where's My Roy Cohn?
  • Richie Mehta, Delhi Crime Story
  • Aisling Franciosi, The Nightingale
  • Gina Torres, Selah and the Spades
  • Lovie Simone and Celeste O'Connor, Selah and the Spades
  • Jharrel Jerome, Selah and the Spades
  • Wendy McLendon-Covey, Imaginary Order
  • Max Burkholder, Imaginary Order
  • Debra Eisenstadt, Imaginary Order
  • Garret Price, Love Antosha
  • Jim Cummings, Greener Grass
  • Paradise Hills
  • Jim Gaffigan, Light from Light
  • Marin Ireland, Light from Light
  • Josh Wiggins, Light from Light
  • Penny Lane, Hail Satan
  • Alex Holmes and Tracy Edwards, Maiden
  • Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, The Great Hack
  • Chris O'Dowd, State of the Union
  • Florence Pugh, Fighting with my Family
  • Lena Heady, Fighting with my Family
  • Jack Lowden, Fighting with my Family
  • Saraya-Jade Bevis, Fighting with my Family
  • Nick Frost, Fighting with my Family
  • Stephen Merchant, Fighting with my Family
  • Rachel Lear, Knock the House Down
  • Alia Shawkat, Animals
  • Holliday Grainger, Animals
  • Director Sophie Hyde, Animals
  • Stanley Nelson, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
  • Director Raed Alsemari, Dunya's Day
  • Rahaf, Dunya's Day
  • Sara Balghonaim, Dunya's Day
  • Sam Richardson, Bootstrapped
  • Now Apocalypse cast
  • Apocolypse Now Cast
  • Bobbi Salvor Menuez, Adam
  • Rhys Ernst, Adam
  • Nicholas Alexander, Adam
  • Riley Keough, The Lodge
  • Lia McHugh, The Lodge
  • Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz, The Lodge
  • Akili McDowell, David Makes Man
  • Tarell Alvin McCraney, David Makes Man
1 of 81

Sundance 2019: See all the stars come out to TheWrap’s portrait studio at Ryot/Vice Studios, in partnership with Art Bronze Film Productions

View In Gallery