Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Shia LaBeouf: I was asked to send pictures of my penis to Nymphomaniac producers

The actor has revealed he is 'not extremely well-endowed' in past interviews

Jess Denham
Tuesday 07 January 2014 12:30 EST
Comments
Shia LaBeouf appears on a poster for Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac
Shia LaBeouf appears on a poster for Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac (Casper Sejersen/Trust Nordisk)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Actor Shia LaBeouf has revealed that he was asked to send pictures of his package to Nymphomaniac producers.

The actor said it was the first requirement asked of him before filming on the movie began.

"The first info we got - and I'll never forget this because my entire team reacted with such a fear - the first request on the production end, not from Lars, was pictures of my penis," LaBeouf told Danish film company Zentropa Productions.

"Previously in my career I'd been the everyman or the normal guy stuck in this extraordinary situation. Jerome was the opportunity to play a slimy, evil, blasphemous, mini-juggernaut of a man."

The explicit film, by controversial Danish director Lars von Trier, sees the 27-year-old take on the role of office worker Jerome in a story that follows the erotic life of a woman from birth to the age of 50.

The actor revealed he was "not extremely well-endowed" when asked about losing his virginity in a 2009 interview with Playboy.

But LaBeouf need not have feared failing to measure up on set, as digital technology was on hand to create the graphic sex scenes that characterise the movie.

Last May, producer Louise Vesth told the Hollywood Reporter: "We shot the actors pretending to have sex and then had the body doubles, who really did have sex, and in post (production) we will digital-impose the two.

"So above the waist it will be the star and then below the waist it will be the doubles."

Vesth added that the depictions of sexuality throughout the film go "right up against the censorship limits, maybe just over them".

In 2012, LaBeouf told US chat show host Chelsea Handler that he had sent von Trier a sex tape to secure his role in the production: "I sent him videotapes of me and my girlfriend (then stylist Karolyn Pho) having sex and that's how I got the job," he said.

The Transformers actor has gone full-frontal in the past when he lent his nude assets to Icelandic indie band Sigur Ros' "Fjogur Piano" music video.

Charlotte Gainsbourg, Uma Thurman, Jamie Bell and Stacy Martin are among the Nymphomaniac cast. The film was promoted with a risque poster campaign depicting images of the ensemble pretending to orgasm in October 2013.

Nymphomaniac premiered in Denmark on 25 December and is due for UK release on 21 February.


Please note the Nymphomaniac trailer contains adult themes

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in