Fresh off his unconventional turn as a rough-edged, down-and-out youth for American Honey, Shia LaBeouf has resurfaced in the first images from the set of Borg/McEnroe. The new movie, which follows the infamous rivalry between the two tennis legends John McEnroe and Björn Borg and culminated in their epic 1980 Wimbledon showdown, features LaBeouf as the outsized character of McEnroe and Sverrir Gudnason as Borg.
In an interview last spring with Variety, LaBeouf called the story “truthful, tangible, anchored, human” and noted that he cried the first time he read the script. He added that he was “eager” to meet McEnroe before shooting (which started in August).
“I got nothing but love and respect for him,” he said. As for similarities between the two men? “Everything in common. Passionate. Perfectionist. Narcissistic. I’m a bit of a caricature also.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- L.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5°C of Warming
- How Canada Fell Out of Love With Trudeau
- Trump Is Treating the Globe Like a Monopoly Board
- Bad Bunny On Heartbreak and New Album
- 10 Boundaries Therapists Want You to Set in the New Year
- The Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise Harder
- Nicole Kidman Is a Pure Pleasure to Watch in Babygirl
- Column: Jimmy Carter’s Global Legacy Was Moral Clarity
Write to Raisa Bruner at raisa.bruner@time.com