Following the announcement that Shia LaBeouf has been confirmed by the Catholic Church, the actor has been dubbed “magnificent” by David Mamet, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, screenwriter, and director saying, “[…] as an actor, I’ve never worked with a greater actor in my life.” During a wide-ranging conversation with Bill Maher on the late-night host’s free-wheeling Club Random show, Mamet praised LaBeouf; “I’ve worked with everybody, and as a human being, [LaBeouf] just a magnificent human being,” Mamet said during the interview.
Their conversation, which debuted on YouTube as a podcast and video on Sunday, follows Mamet’s appearance on Maher’s Real Time series on HBO Max late last year. When Mamet revealed that he had recently completed a film with LaBeouf, his name came up, though he did not specify the title. But it’s known that their collaboration follows LaBeouf starring in Mamet’s world premiere play Henry Johnson at Venice’s Electric Lodge.
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In another potentially divisive remark, Mamet slammed progressive culture, declaring that “wokeism is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” He continued, “The bright side of wokeism is when you turn on the television… all of the commercials and most of the people in television shows are people of color. So, it’s bad for white actors but on the other hand, it used to be bad for Black actors. But the good thing is that white America gets used to looking at Black people not as Sidney Poitier, not as Willie Best, but as people and that’s really great.“
Maher then briefly discusses the allegations leveled against LaBeouf following his relationship with FKA Twigs, who accused him of “relentless abuse,” sexual battery, assault, and emotional distress. In response, LaBeouf told the New York Times, “I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years.” Maher described LaBeouf by saying, “it sounded like he was a dick.”
Later in the interview, the topic of Mamet’s Henry Johnson came up again, and Maher questioned him about why the sold-out show seemed to go unnoticed. Mamet stated that there was no publicity and that he did not invite any theater critics to the show. LaBeouf co-starred in the film with Chris Bauer, Dominic Hoffman, and Evan Jonigkeit as a lawyer who is suddenly imprisoned for his crimes.
“I just got sick of dealing with the f**king press for 50-some years of my professional life,” Mamet said, adding that “the press have always been for sale” and that critics and other journalists could be bribed.
Let us know what you think about Shia LaBeouf’s transformation. Do you agree with David Mamet’s “woke” criticism? Leave a comment below!
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