Actor Shia LaBeouf Admits to Steroid Use in Massive 55-Pound Weight Gain for Role: ‘I Was About to Die’

Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and Hollywood have gone hand-in-hand. Actors are constantly tasked with packing on muscle or burning fat for movie roles, making them a useful tool for getting the job done. In a YouTube video from July 14, actor Shia LaBeouf admitted to using steroids to pack on 55 pounds and said he almost died as a result. 

Having appeared in blockbuster projects like The Transformers franchise and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, LaBeouf’s versatility on-screen turned him into a superstar. Transforming his body for films hasn’t been an easy road, as he recently dove into the pressures of steroid use during the Salvable premiere Q&A. 

Shia LaBeouf Discusses Steroids, SARMs, 55-Lb Weight Gain & Health 

During the video, LaBeouf shared that he gained 55 pounds for Salvable, where he took on the role of an active fighter. He knew he needed extra muscle mass to accurately portray the character.

“When I shipped out, I was 220 pounds; now I’m 165.” 

“It was like ‘well, how am I going to fit in this world? I’m so tiny.’ And if you meet any of these fighters, these travelers, even guys in my position who are just kind of bookies, they’re big boys. I didn’t want to act a lot, and I figured if I was bigger, I could be quieter and kinder,” Shia LaBeouf said. 

While steroids and SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) helped him put on the mass he was after, LaBeouf said it came at a cost: his cardiologist urged him to stop or he risked dying. 

“They told me I was about to die. I had a cardiologist tell me ‘you’ve got to stop.’ I was on all kinds of weird steroids, called SARMs. Some weird new steroid they gave me so that I got big.”

Shia LaBeouf isn’t the only high-profile actor to completely revamp his physique. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shocked the world after packing on muscle for his role in The Smashing Machine, where he plays troubled MMA legend Mark Kerr. To bring the character to life, The Rock looked unrecognizable, thanks to a handful of face prosthetics. Of late, Johnson also downsized his physique, causing a stir online, with many suggesting that he finally quit his alleged PED use. 

Some believe honesty is the best policy in Hollywood. Celebrity trainer Don Saladino is adamant that actors should be more open about their use of steroids. He has guided big-name actors like Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman to better bodies. All in all, LaBeouf’s honesty is just another reason why fans still anticipate his movie projects. 

RELATED: Jay Cutler Talks Best Physiques in Hollywood, Says Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Films Inspired His Bodybuilding Journey

Watch the full video from the Salvable YouTube channel below: 

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