Shia LaBeouf Drops Out Of Broadway Play Orphans Over Creative Differences

Shia LaBeouf may have played the chubby kid in Even Stevens and the main character in Transformers, but he’s still a man who takes the craft of acting very seriously. Over the past few years, he’s consistently picked roles that would either push himself creatively or push the envelope with the audience. As such, he was scheduled to make his Great White Way debut in a revival of Lyle Kessler’s famed Orphans, but unfortunately, that’s now off the table.

According to E! Online LaBeouf and the powers that be didn’t see eye-to-eye about where the production was headed. So, he decided to pull out. Here’s a look at the official statement released by the producers…

Luckily for anyone interested in seeing Orphans, co-stars Alec Baldwin and Tom Sturridge are still on board. Previews will begin on March 17 and the show’s actual run at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater will start on April 7, which means the clock is ticking to find a suitable replacement for the departing actor. Baldwin’s name should be enough to carry the first few weeks regardless of quality, but to make a sustained run, producers may look for another actor with some name recognition to share the load.

Here’s to hoping LaBeouf finds something else of value to fill his time with.