Shia LaBeouf Experiences Emotional Turmoil and Turmoil on Set
In November 2025, writer-director Josh Penn Soskin commenced production on his feature film debut, “The Rooster Prince,” which draws heavily from his personal experiences surrounding the life and struggles of his late brother, David, a respected psychiatrist who battled bipolar disorder. The film features Shia LaBeouf in a pivotal role as Eli, a character inspired by David, alongside actors Jackson White and Melissa Leo.
During filming, LaBeouf’s intense portrayal of his character led to a particularly memorable scene where the emotional toll on the actor became palpable. As LaBeouf delivered a raw, energetic performance, Soskin found himself lost in the moment, grappling with the blurred lines between fiction and reality. The anguish that LaBeouf embodied mirrored the pain experienced by David during his manic episodes, leaving Soskin reflecting not only on his brother’s struggles but also on LaBeouf’s own history with mental health challenges.
Soskin described his brother as a profound influence during his upbringing, instilling a love for literature, cinema, and creative expression. However, as David’s mental health deteriorated, their paths diverged significantly. Following a severe manic episode, David’s life took a tragic turn, eventually leading to his untimely death. This loss deeply affected Soskin, prompting him to create “The Rooster Prince” in an effort to process grief while fostering dialogue surrounding mental health issues that remain stigmatized in society.
Soskin expressed how LaBeouf’s passionate commitment to the film not only paid homage to his brother but also served as a medium for healing. The actor’s own challenges with addiction and trauma informed his performance, creating a unique dynamic on set that transcended conventional acting processes. The film’s creation aimed to provide an unfiltered depiction of the bipolar experience, capturing the emotional spectrum inherent to the condition.
As the production faced unforeseen challenges, including tensions on set and LaBeouf’s emotional volatility, Soskin found himself grappling with his responsibilities as both a director and a filmmaker with a profound personal stake in the narrative. Ultimately, a sense of mutual understanding and empathy emerged among the cast and crew, as the realities of mental illness touched each individual’s life in some way.
In the end, “The Rooster Prince” becomes not just a film but a catalyst for broader conversations about mental health, empathy, and the intertwining of love and loss. As Soskin first screened the film, the reactions from those closely connected to mental health advocacy underscored the project’s importance in challenging societal perceptions of mental illness.
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