Mel Gibson is reportedly stepping in to support Shia LaBeouf following the latter’s recent legal troubles.
According to a report by RadarOnline.com, the Braveheart star has reached out to his former protégé after LaBeouf’s headline-making arrest in New Orleans.
The 39-year-old Transformers actor was reportedly booked on two counts of simple battery after an alleged altercation during a Mardi Gras celebration on February 17.
After being released from jail, LaBeouf returned to the lively street festivities, where he was seen dancing and drinking, raising further concern among those close to him, per source.
Now, insiders have suggested that Gibson is ready to intervene before the situation escalates further.
Reflecting on their bond, a source shared that LaBeouf “hero-worships” Gibson and views him as a father figure he never had.
The insider added that Gibson, who has faced his own public controversies in the past, feels a strong sense of understanding toward LaBeouf’s current struggles.
“Obviously, Mel knows only too well what Shia's going through right now, and the parallels with his own mistakes in years gone by are both glaring and spooky,” the source concluded.