Every generation has celebrities who’ve turned away from fame in a public way, but not quite like these two. So when I first caught wind of Shia LaBeouf’s big statement last year, I was reminded of Sia’s Billboard cover. Given the bigger questions surrounding LaBeouf’s ongoing anti-fame crusade and his mental state, his aesthetic inspiration was the least of anyone’s concerns, particularly after the he claimed the stunt was an act of performance art and accusations of ripping off Marina Ambramović (how ironic) surfaced. Less than a year later, we’re a long ways from Shia’s paper bag days (now he’s all about apologizing). But now that I see LaBeouf starring in Furler’s new video, it’s clear these two are, at the very least, on the same wavelength. And it works, with a level intensity that one can feel certain is sincere from LaBeouf, for once.
“Elastic Heart” — off the Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack and Sia’s 1000 Forms of Fear — sees LaBeouf stars opposite Ziegler, first made famous for her spirited performance in the “Chandelier” video. The two weathered figures dance together in a large metal cage, wearing only body suits, nude briefs, and bandages.
Choreographer Ryan Heffington and director Daniel Askill, both of the “Chandelier” clip, team up again for a moving work that seems to speak to Shia and Sia’s shared anti-fame sentiment. They’re trapped, left to rage out and ultimately find comfort in one another, even after Ziegler squeezes through the confines of the cage. If you continue to perceive Ziegler as a proxy for Furler, the video could be construed as two celebrities commiserating the shackles of fame without having to say it again, with another paper bag.