Shia LaBeouf Thanks Police Officer Who Arrested Him In 2017 During Hollywood Film Awards Speech

During his acceptance speech at the Hollywood Film Awards on Sunday night, Shia LaBeouf thanked the police officer who arrested him back in 2017 and booked him for public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and obstruction.

The actor was presented with a trophy for best screenplay for his latest film, "Honey Boy," a movie inspired by his own life growing up in Hollywood and all the highs and lows that came with it. Handing out the award was Robert Downey Jr., who said it was a "damn near perfect screenplay."

"I want to thank the police officer who arrested me in Georgia," LaBeouf said during his speech, which reportedly generated some laughs from the audience. "For changing my life,' he added. According to USA Today, he said he wrote the script for his movie during court-mandated rehab.

"I want to thank my therapist and my sponsor for saving my life," LaBeouf continued, via THR. "I want to thank my 'Honey Boy' team for documenting and exhibiting my life. I want to thank my team for being a part of my life, and my parents for giving me life. And you, Robert, for living a life a guy like me could look up to."

The actor's mother, Shayna Saide, was reportedly in the audience and "tearfully looked on" as her son picked up his award.

LaBeouf was busted in 2017 after asking a bystander and police officer for a cigarette and became disorderly when he didn't get one. It escalated and he became aggressive, before then making racist statements about the black arresting officer once in police custody. LaBeouf was filming "The Peanut Butter Falcon" at the time.

"What went on in Georgia was mortifying," he previously told Esquire about the incident. "White privilege and desperation and disaster. It came from a place of self-centered delusion. It was me trying to absolve myself of guilt for getting arrested."

After he finished filming the indie flick, LaBeouf entered a court-ordered rehab facility in Connecticut -- the alternative being years in jail. During his stay, the "Fury" star discovered he was struggling with more than just alcoholism.

"It was the first time I'd been told I had PTSD," he recalled in a recent THR podcast. "I just thought I was an alcoholic, like, a true-blue drunk and I needed to deal with that. I knew it was an issue but didn't know there was this extra whole other thing that was hindering my ability to have any peace in my life and my ability to deal with people."

A part of LaBeouf's treatment included him writing down his past. This ultimately led to the script for "Honey Boy."

"The stuff that's in Honey Boy comes out of these exposure therapy sessions," he said.

"Honey Boy" hits select theaters November 8.