Just a short time ago Shia LaBeouf was co-starring along side some of Hollywood’s biggest names and now the 21-year-old “it” boy has reached such a level of success and recognition with his impressive acting abilities and his down-to-earth demeanor, that the in demand star is now the leading man.
Eagle Eye, Paramount Pictures’ new political thriller reteams LaBeouf with Disturbia director D.J. Caruso, and has the young actor playing opposite of one of Tinseltown’s up and coming brunette beauties, Michelle Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone,The Heartbreak Kid). The two were recently shooting on location in Riverside, California where Hollywood.com was on set watching the pair show off their remarkable action skills.
In the film, LaBeouf and Monaghan are strangers until they are framed to look like terrorists and are forced to carry out certain tasks together in hopes of having their lives back. Both actors do most of their own action stunts and while hanging out on the set, we excitedly saw the co-stars shoot a scene where they are trying to get away from the FBI who is chasing them.
The scene starts with Monaghan on a moving conveyor belt with a large silver case. She’s on her hands and knees trying to get away from Billy Bob Thornton who plays the FBI agent tracking them. His body double is about to grab Monaghan, but LaBeouf tackles him and the two begin to fight. Monaghan looks behind her, sees what’s happening and hits the man pursuing them with the case. While he’s down, LaBeouf jumps over him to get closer to his partner so they can make a fast get away.
During a short break for the actors, Hollywood.com chatted with the two stars about their new project and why you shouldn’t expect any romance between the them in the movie. [PAGEBREAK]
Hollywood.com: What’s going on in the scene you guys are shooting today?
Michelle Monaghan: A lot of bruising. We’re actually getting chased by Billy Bob Thornton‘s character Morgan and we’ve got a case that we don’t know exactly where it needs to go to for all intensive purposes. We’ve got to deliver it somewhere and he’s in hot pursuit.
HW: You guys are shooting a scene inside a crane together. What was that experience like?
Shia LaBeouf: It was fantastic.
MM: It was awesome.
SL: We lit the scene ourselves with a cell phone.
MM: It was funny because he was mostly lit. We watched the playback and I was like, ‘you can’t even see me.’ Dude help me out here.
SL: I just lit myself. [PAGEBREAK]
HW: Can you talk about your relationship in the film and how your characters meet?
SL: We’re strangers. I don’t know who she is and she doesn’t know who I am. We’re being led to each other and on this journey together by a voice named Aria who is basically commanding us to do various things.
SL: Such as jump into this tour bus, rob that Brinks truck…
MM: Go to the airport.
SL: Grab this case. Jump in this car.
MM: It’s almost like a scavenger hunt in a way. We don’t know what we’re doing.
SL: You have 15 seconds to leave this building or you’ll die. Stuff like that. There’s no explanation. There’s no conservation.
MM: It’s life or death.
HW: What makes you take the voice seriously?
SL: We both have situations where we both come very close to death. But very strategic planned close to death. It’s enough for us to realize it, but this voice knows we’re safe. [PAGEBREAK]
HW: What’s the one thing you two did to put yourselves on the FBI’s radar and make them suspicious of you?
SL: We’ve been framed as criminals. We’re target criminals. I show up at my apartment and there’s boxes of ammunition, there’s bag of fertilizer, there’s weaponry, there’s maps, there’s directions on bomb making. There’s a lot of things that would point to me being a terror suspect. He decides to leave the apartment and the journey begins.
HW: From the physical aspect, is it hard to maintain the emotional energy level?
MM: I think it’s probably easier. This is the most physically demanding role I know I’ve done, but it really just heightens everything that you’ve got to lose. It really does feel like that. We’re just running and gunning a lot. That momentum is there. I think that helps us tell the story. [PAGEBREAK]
HW: Michelle, I was watching your facial expressions during this scene and every take you seriously look frightened. Is that partly from being on a conveyor belt while it’s moving and your having to do these action stunts?
MM: Sure, yeah. That’s why I love it too. It’s so exciting. It’s like Shoots and Ladders for adults basically. There are a lot of things to be aware of and being careful. We’re definitely getting bruised and battered. I am because he’s much more clever about doing stunts. I just throw my body around…
SL: No, she’s bad ass. Don’t let her fool you. She’s badass.
MM: But it’s fun. So yeah, I am really scared, but also the character has to be scared. I’m not that good at playing it cool.
HW: Shia, this is the third or fourth movie in a row now that you’ve had to do very physical work. Are you comfortable with that aspect of the job now?
SL: I’m pretty comfortable. I mean no it’s not comfortable. I’m more knowledgeable on how not to get hurt. When they say pad up, you pad up. There’s no more bravado anymore. That’s out the window. You get hit a couple of times and you realize over the course films that the bravado shit is kind of pointless. At this point I just have more knowledge about it. [PAGEBREAK]
HW: This is the second time working with director D.J. Caruso. Can you compare what it is like working for him on this film verses Disturbia?
SL: Well the last movie we were in a room for three months. This, we haven’t been in the same room for two days. It’s very different. There’s an Easy Rider element to this where we’re never in the same spot too long. It’s a journey film where as Disturbia was sort of this very different movie. D.J. is an ace. It’s awesome to watch him grow and me grow and we’re doing it together. Our cast this time is crazy. We both can feel it. To have Michelle here and Billy Bob here. Having [Michael] Chiklis. Our cast is really strong. Mackie [Anthony] and Rosario [Dawson]. We didn’t have this amount on the last. It was a lot of just me and him and the camera. This time it’s bigger. It’s fun to watch him sprouting. It’s wild. I love D.J. I love working with him.
HW: Can you go back to talking about how your characters first meet?
SL: She’s just lost her child.
MM: I’m a single mom whose son has been put into some dire straights. I’m basically forced by Aria to make some pretty split decisions. Essentially how far would you go to save someone’s life. We first meet in a car. He bails into a car because he’s been told to come into the car and I think he’s basically responsible for the kidnapping of my son.
SL: I think she’s the voice on the other end. We’re figuring each out on the run. It’s not like we’re instant friends. I don’t know who she is. There’s still that air of mystery.
MM: And mistrust. That mistrust kind of carries us throughout the film. [PAGEBREAK]
HW: Any sort of romance between you two?
SL: You would think so right? They didn’t.
MM: [Laughing] You would imagine, tiger. [She playfully runs her hand through his hair and tosses his head back].
SL: We’re surviving. I don’t know how much room there is for any kissy-kissy bullshit when you’re about to die.
Eagle Eye is scheduled to hit theaters Aug. 8, 2008.
