Shia LaBeouf plays Saint PADRE PIO in the new trailer and director Abel Ferrara talks about why LaBeouf was perfect for the role

Shia LaBeouf (Fury, Honey boy, The Peanut Butter Hawk) stars in his first film since the hiatus from acting he took in 2020 following allegations of abuse by his ex-girlfriend. After spending some time in recovery, she took over the role of Father Pio“The Italian monk who earned rock star status among the Catholic faithful in the 20th century”.

“Padre Pio, born Francesco Forgione in southern Italy at the end of the 19th century, aroused devotion and controversy throughout his life. He became famous in the Catholic world for exhibiting the stigmata – crucifixion wounds corresponding to those on the body of Jesus Christ – before becoming a symbol of hope for southern Italians during the country’s turbulent period between the two world wars. He died in 1968 at the age of 81, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1999 and then canonized in 2002 ”.

The director of the film, Abele Ferrara (Bad lieutenant, The blackout), says LaBeouf is the perfect actor to play the role, especially at this point in his personal life. In a recent interview with Variety, the director spoke about the saint, explaining:

“He is an iconic figure. He is in the back of every truck. He is the saint of all the drug dealers in Naples ».

The director also points out that “as an iconic figure, Pius is like the alternative Jesus, in a sense”. Ferrara, who lives and works in Italy, remembers that he was an actor Willem Dafoe who first suggested that he should contact LaBeouf for the role. After a few calls on Zoom, LaBeouf was on board and ready to fully immerse himself in the role.

“He’s the kind of actor who jumps into his pickup the next minute and goes to a monastery in California.”

Ferrara went on to say that when LaBeouf arrived at Rome’s Fiumicino airport, he was dressed in a dressing gown. Then, he went to the monastery in southern Italy where the film was shot and slept in a bed where Padre Pio slept. Ferrara points out that the film is supported by the Padre Pio brotherhood and that the monks in the film are real.

“He is bringing us his own life. You are seeing a person who is having a very similar experience. It is not just about wearing clothes and taking actions. When the actor goes on a parallel journey, that’s when you get such a powerful performance. “

This seems like a different role to many of the ones LaBeouf has taken on previously. Watch the trailer below and keep an eye out for the theatrical release of Father Pio by the end of the year, after its premiere in Venice.