The actor shared his gratitude with Savannah's law enforcement at the Hollywood Film Awards.
Shia LaBeouf shared a very unique thank you in his acceptance speech at the Hollywood Film Awards on Sunday.
The 33-year-old actor was on hand to accept the Breakthrough Screenwriter award for his autobiographical script for Honey Boy, which he also has a supporting role in, portraying his real-life father. After he accepted the award from fellow actor Robert Downey Jr., LaBeouf said, "I want to thank the police officer who arrested me in Georgia for changing my life."
ET confirmed in July of 2017 that LaBeouf had been arrested for disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and obstruction in Savannah, Georgia. He was filming the indie film The Peanut Butter Falcon at the time. He was ordered by the court to complete rehab following the incident.
On Sunday, LaBeouf also thanked his therapist and sponsor for "saving my life" and "my parents for giving my life." He also showed his gratitude toward Downey for presenting the award, stating that he looks up to the older actor.
After receiving the award, LaBeouf, who brought his mom, Shayna Saide, to the awards show, happily mingled with Downey. The pair even posed for some photos together. During the proceedings, fellow winner Al Pacino was also overheard gushing, "Oh Shia! I love him."
Last month, LaBeouf opened up about the emotional downturn he experienced following the arrest and its aftermath.
"[I felt] a kind of shame, deep shame," he said on The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast, before addressing his comments at the time of the arrest, which included, "[The president] doesn't give a f**k about you, and you wanna do what? Arrest white people?"
"I'm feeling like people on set think I'm a racist, believe I'm a racist, and I'm feeling all of that and don't want to be alive, basically," he said. The actor explained that, after filming wrapped on The Peanut Butter Falcon, and he entered rehab, he realized he was struggling with more than alcoholism.
"It was the first time I was told I had PTSD. I had just thought I was an alcoholic," he said on the podcast, alluding to his troubled childhood, which he chronicles in Honey Boy. "The stuff that's in Honey Boy comes out of these exposure therapy sessions."
See more on LaBeouf below.
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