'It's shameless theft!' Shia LaBeouf forced to apologise after his short film is revealed as almost complete rip off... and he plagiarised the apology too

By Colette Fahy

PUBLISHED: 15:09 EST, 17 December 2013 | UPDATED: 16:09 EST, 17 December 2013

Shia LaBeouf has admitted to ripping off someone else’s work for his short film HowardCantour.com but claimed it wasn't intentional. 

The 27-year-old actor released his 12-minute short starring Jim Gaffigan online on Monday but quickly pulled it down after the striking similarities between it and Daniel Clowes' comic Justin M. Damiano were revealed. 

Shia, whose actions were called ‘shameless theft’ by the comic’s publisher Eric Reynolds, then took to Twitter to post a series of apologetic tweets, finishing with a dramatic 'I f****d up' although ironically it has been claimed his apology is strikingly similar to a four-year-old entry on Yahoo Answers.

Apology: Shia LaBeouf has apologised and removed his short film HaroldCantour.com from the internet after it was revealed to be an almost direct copy of artist Daniel Clowes' comic Justin M. Damiano

Apology: Shia LaBeouf has apologised and removed his short film HaroldCantour.com from the internet after it was revealed to be an almost direct copy of artist Daniel Clowes' comic Justin M. Damiano

He wrote: 'Copying isn't particularly creative work. Being inspired by someone else's idea to produce something new and different IS creative work…In my excitement and naiveté as an amateur filmmaker, I got lost in the creative process and neglected to follow proper accreditation…

'I'm embarrassed that I failed to credit @danielclowes for his original graphic novella Justin M. Damiano, which served as my inspiration ... I was truly moved by his piece of work & I knew that it would make a poignant & relevant short. I apologize to all who assumed I wrote it.

'I deeply regret the manner in which these events have unfolded and want @danielclowes to know that I have a great respect for his work (sic). '

Buzzfeed revealed that the first part of Shia's apology  is similar to a four-year-old entry on Yahoo! Answers  which says: 'Merely copying isn't particularly creative work, though it's useful as training and practice. Being inspired by someone else's idea to produce something new and different IS creative work, and it may even revolutionalise the stolen' concept.'

Shia premiered the movie, which tells the story of film critic Howard Cantour, at the May 2012 Cannes Film Festival but it was only when he released it online on Monday that the similarities were pointed out.

Embarrassing: Shia tweeted: 'I'm embarrassed that I failed to credit danielclowes for his original graphic novella Justin M. Damiano, which served as my inspiration'

Embarrassing: Shia tweeted: 'I'm embarrassed that I failed to credit danielclowes for his original graphic novella Justin M. Damiano, which served as my inspiration'

Eagle eyed viewers attacked it as an almost direct adaptation of the 2007 comic but Shia failed to credit Clowes work. 

The Ghost World  creator told BuzzFeed: 'I’ve never spoken to or met Mr. LaBeouf. I've never even seen one of his films that I can recall – and I was shocked, to say the least, when I saw that he took the script and even many of the visuals from a very personal story I did six or seven years ago and passed it off as his own work. I actually can't imagine what was going through his mind.'


Pursuing legal options: Daniel Clowes (L), pictured with producer Russ Smith, is said to be looking in to his legal options

Pursuing legal options: Daniel Clowes (L), pictured with producer Russ Smith, is said to be looking in to his legal options

Eric Reynolds of Fantagraphics, the publisher of Clowes' comics, told Wired , 'I almost spit out my coffee when I realised he lifted the script, word for word.’

Clowes is currently 'pursuing legal options'.

The film has since been taken down from the Vimeo site it was posted on and other versions that were shared online are now password-protected.

Star: Leading man Jim Gaffigan has not yet commented on the controversy over the movie

Star: Leading man Jim Gaffigan has not yet commented on the controversy over the movie



Comments (44)

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You don't just "neglect to follow proper accreditation". You must legally obtain the rights BEFORE you might be allowed to remake the work. You don't just decided to rip off an artist and if you give proper credit it's ok. What an idiot! Hollywood has a very specific, well understood procedure for optioning and paying for another's work.

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Another Hollywood loser who believes his own publicity.

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Shia has completely ruin his career in the past couple years

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What a loser. He had potential too.

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This is why they get paid big bucks for doing nothing. Then they walk around like they own the world.

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Is that a clock I hear ticking ?

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Poor guy just can't stay out of trouble. !

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I'm surprised by this outcome of SLB. Why Shia, I thought you were better than that.

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Shia LaBeouf is kind of the worst person in the world.

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He's French. Arrogant little twerp!

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