Which Major Quality Roles Has Shia LaBeouf Taken a Pass On?

There are a couple ways I could view "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" star Shia LaBeouf.

OK, so there’s one way I choose to view him – over-hyped, under-talented nitwit – but that’s one of several possibilities.

He recently told Details just what could’ve been, had his priorities in his work been a little different. For example, he was apparently offered starring roles in the Oscar-nominated “127 Hours” and “The Social Network” but passed up both because he felt that he was too big for either.

You have Jesse Eisenberg’s thanks, Shia.

"I am trying to impress myself. I have yet to do it," said the actor. "I'm looking for Warren Beatty-type game changers."

Considering his reviews for all three “Transformers” movies and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and the fact Harrison Ford publicly called him an idiot, maybe he should revisit the drawing board. Something’s not quite working critically, and while they don’t pay his checks, they do vote for awards and impact the Academy’s favor.

Then there are times I see where he’s coming from. He also turned down “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” Even though this one looks like it might be worth watching, consider the legacy of embarrassing badness that Tim Burton’s rehash left behind in both critics’ and audiences’ mouths. Remakes are risky at the best of times, in part because they’re rarely any good at all and in part because they tend to alienate staunch fans of the original works.

In addition, he also passed up the lead in “The Bourne Legacy,” which went to Academy Award nominee and rising star Jeremy Renner instead, claiming that he didn’t want much more to do with action movies – which is funny, coming from somebody who sounds like a mortal lock for another go at putting the last bullet in the “Indiana Jones” franchise’s fedora-topped head.

Again, this makes total sense. Actors who genre jump after a long legacy with one particular role or another have sometimes had a hard time proving their legitimate chops in new waters. Let’s face it, “The Truman Show” and “Man on the Moon” were Jim Carrey’s best chances to win an Oscar and make more of himself than just a comic master. He seemed a lock both times, and “Man On The Moon” didn’t even score him an Academy Award nomination.

And it’s not even like those are exactly the most shocking instances of big stars turning down big roles in what went on to become extraordinarily successful movies. The next time you watch “Forrest Gump,” remember this: Bill Murray was very nearly Forrest, and David Alan Grier, Dave Chappelle and Ice Cube were all considered to play Bubba.