Shia LaBeouf was ‘dropped from Call Me By Your Name’ due to ‘bad publicity’

Shia was considered to play Oliver in the movie (Picture: Getty; Frenesy Film Company)

Shia LaBeouf was reportedly ‘dropped’ Call Me By Your Name after ‘bad publicity’ – to be replaced by Armie Hammer.

Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 drama based on the novel of the same name André Aciman, followed a 17-year-old boy, Elio, who begins a romantic relationship with a 24-year-old man, Oliver.

Timothée Chalamet played Elio in his breakout role, while Hammer was cast as Oliver.

However, the film could have looked a lot different, had the original casting stayed in place.

Oscar-winning writer and producer James Ivory discusses the film in his new memoir Solid Ivory and, in excerpts published by GQ, he explained that LaBeouf had been cast in the role of Oliver.

He wrote: ‘Shia LaBeouf … had been contacted for the part of Oliver. At this, I was doubtful. I didn’t know much about him, so I watched some of his films. He’s an extremely good actor. But as an academic writing about the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, he would be a stretch.

Shia had been hit with ‘bad publicity’ (Picture: Rich Fury/Getty Images)

‘Well, I thought, he would be a sort of diamond-in-the-rough-scholar type… Shia came to read for us in New York with Timothée Chalamet, paying for his own plane ticket, and Luca and I had been blown away. The reading by the two young actors had been sensational; they made a very convincing hot couple.’

However, Ivory claims that LaBeouf was then pulled from consideration.

He wrote: ‘He had had some bad publicity. He’d fought with his girlfriend; he’d fended off the police somewhere when they had tried to calm him down. And Luca would not call him, or his agent. I emailed Shia to offer reassurance, but then Luca cast Armie Hammer and never spoke to, or of, Shia again.’

Ivory was then himself let go from the film, with Guadagnino reportedly deciding to direct the film himself.

In 2015, LaBeouf was filmed having a row with then-wife Mia Goth, and was heard saying he ‘would have killed’ her if two locals had not intervened.

Armie Hammer was cast alongside Timothee Chalamet (Picture: REUTERS)

Two years later, the Transformers actor was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct in Georgia.

The 35-year-old was last year sued for sexual battery by ex FKA twigs, who alleges she was abused ‘physically, emotionally and mentally’ by LaBeouf through their relationship; LaBeouf has denied the allegations.

More: Armie Hammer

Call Me By Your Name went on to win the Oscar for best adapted screenplay and received nominations for best picture and best actor for Chalamet.

Hammer, 35, recently checked into a rehab facility for ‘drug, alcohol, and sex issues’, following allegations of sexual assault which the actor vehemently denied.

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