Are they hiding in plain sight? Here’s what happened to the original cast.

The cast of Transformers: See Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and their costars, then and now

Are they hiding in plain sight? Here's what happened to the original cast.

and Kevin Jacobsen

July 3, 2026 12:00 p.m. ET

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Megan Fox as Mikaela Barnes and Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky in 'Transformers'. Credit:

Paramount/Courtesy Everett

Michael Bay helped usher in a new era of Hollywood filmmaking in 2007. *Transformers*, the first live-action adaptation of the classic '80s toy line, was a massive box-office smash thanks in part to its photorealistic visual effects and thrilling action sequences. While not universally acclaimed by critics, the film proved immensely popular and led to a slew of toy-to-movie adaptations such as *G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra *(2009), *The LEGO Movie *(2014), and *Barbie* (2023).

Launching a decades-spanning franchise, *Transformers* follows teenage Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) as he unexpectedly finds himself in a war between robotic aliens. After spending years as a child actor, LaBeouf proved his box office prowess with this leading role, while Megan Fox rocketed into superstardom.

Now, on the 19th anniversary of *Transformers*' release in theaters, we're looking at what the cast has been up to since the great Autobots vs. Decepticons war.**

Shia LaBeouf (Sam Witwicky)

Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky in 'Transformers'; Shia LaBeouf attends the 'Megalopolis' red carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2024, in Cannes, France.

Robert Zuckerman; Mike Marsland/WireImage

Shia LaBeouf played twitchy teenager Sam Witwicky, who made lifelong friends with a team of alien robots.

LaBeouf was a successful child actor, earning a Daytime Emmy for Disney Channel's *Even Stevens*. He squared off against an evil Sigourney Weaver in the coming-of-age favorite *Holes* (2003) before becoming a reliable movie-star sidekick — alongside Will Smith in *I, Robot *(2004) and Harrison Ford in *Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull* (2008). He also headlined *Disturbia *(2007), while reprising his role as the Autobots’ greatest ally in two *Transformers *sequels.

LaBeouf graduated from summer tentpoles to more grown-up movies in the 2010s. After acclaimed work in the road movie *American Honey* (2016), the actor got personal with *Honey Boy* (2019), a film he wrote in rehab about his childhood. He appeared in a supporting role as a character inspired by his father.

Later, he appeared in the Oscar-nominated drama *Pieces of a Woman* (2020), Francis Ford Coppola's divisive, self-financed dream epic *Megalopolis *(2024), and David Mamet’s *Henry Johnson* (2025).

LaBeouf had an on-again, off-again relationship with British actress Mia Goth from 2016 to 2025. Their daughter, Isabel, was born in 2022. He was previously in a relationship with singer FKA Twigs, who accused him of “relentless abuse” in a 2020 lawsuit. The suit was settled in 2025, though FKA Twigs sued the actor again in 2026, calling the legality of the nondisclosure provisions of the previous settlement into question.

In 2022, LaBeouf said of the singer: "I hurt that woman, and in the process of doing that, I hurt many other people, and many other people before that woman."

Megan Fox (Mikaela Barnes)

Megan Fox as Mikaela Barnes in 'Transformers'; Megan Fox attends the 'GQ' Men of the Year party at Bar Marmont on Nov. 16, 2023, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Robert Zuckerman; Presley Ann/Getty

Megan Fox played Mikaela Barnes, who got swept up in the Autobots’ battle after accepting a ride home from Sam.

Fox got her start as the villainous queen bee in the Lindsay Lohan-starrer *Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen* (2004), and as a regular on the ABC sitcom *Hope & Faith* before *Transformers* launched her to international fame. In what may now be her signature lead role, Fox starred as the demonically possessed, cannibalistic popular girl in *Jennifer’s Body** *(2009), alongside Amanda Seyfried.

The actress returned for the 2009 *Transformers *sequel but dropped out of the third film after a highly publicized falling-out with director Michael Bay. The pair later reconciled, and she starred as April O'Neil in the Bay-produced *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2014) and its 2016 sequel.

Making a move into comedy, she appeared in the fifth and sixth seasons of *New Girl*. Recently, she’s been seen in the action sequel *Expend4bles *(2023), the AI thriller *Subservience* (2024), and as herself on Amazon Prime Video’s *Overcompensating*.

Fox married* *actor Brian Austin Green in 2010. They have three sons: Noah, Bodhi, and Journey. Fox and Green divorced in 2021. The following year, she got engaged to musician Machine Gun Kelly, and though their relationship ended in 2024, they have a daughter together, who was born in 2025.

Josh Duhamel (Capt. William Lennox)

Josh Duhamel as Capt. William Lennox in 'Transformers'; Josh Duhamel visits the SiriusXM Studios on Sept. 13, 2023, in New York City.

Robert Zuckerman; Cindy Ord/Getty

Josh Duhamel played Capt. William Lennox, an Army Ranger who led the human resistance to the Decepticons' attack.

Duhamel's first acting role was charming con artist Leo du Pres on the ABC daytime soap *All My Children*, which landed him a Daytime Emmy. He moved to primetime TV for *Las Vegas*, during which time he began his *Transformers *franchise run.

He found an even more reliable niche in romantic comedies, starting with his big-screen debut, *Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! *(2004). Over the years, he’s starred in *When in Rome* (2010), *Life As We Know It* (2010), *New Year's Eve* (2011), and *Shotgun Wedding* (2022). Duhamel also played the title character’s father in the gay coming-of-age story *Love, Simon* (2018).

On the small screen, the actor was one half of a buddy-cop duo in *Battle Creek* before taking on a villainous role in the miniseries *11.22.63*, a heroic one on Netflix’s superhero series *Jupiter's Legacy*, and part of a ranching dynasty on Netflix’s *Ransom Canyon*.

Duhamel married the singer Fergie in 2009, and they have a son, Axl. They divorced in 2019. Duhamel wed his second wife, former Miss World America Audra Mari, in 2022. Their son Shepherd was born in 2024, and daughter Rocca de Leon was born in May 2026.

Tyrese Gibson (Sgt. Robert Epps)

Tyrese Gibson as Sgt. Robert Epps in 'Transformers'; Tyrese Gibson attends the Social Justice Honors Brunch at Park Tavern on Dec. 15, 2024, in Atlanta, Ga.

Robert Zuckerman; Paras Griffin/Getty

Tyrese Gibson played Sgt. Robert Epps, Captain Lennox's comrade during their battles with killer robots.

The R&B star kicked off his acting career as the lead in John Singleton's coming-of-age drama *Baby Boy* (2001) before taking on the role that would eventually define him: Roman Pearce in *2 Fast 2 Furious *(2003). He has reprised the role in six (and counting) installments over the years, making him one of the longest-running characters in the franchise.

Before becoming fully entrenched in the *Transformers *and *Fast* films, he had a string of additional starring roles, including Singleton’s star-studded *Four Brothers *(2005), *Waist Deep* (2006), and *Death Race* (2008). In addition to *Fast X* (2023), the actor has recently been seen in *Bloodline Killer* (2024), *The Wrecker* (2025), and *Vampires of the Velvet Lounge* (2026).

As for his music career, Gibson has seven albums to his credit; his fifth, 2011's *Open Invitation*, was nominated for a Grammy.

Gibson's first marriage to Norma Mitchell lasted from 2007 to 2009; they have a daughter, Shayla. Gibson has another daughter, Soraya, with his second wife, Samantha Lee. They married in 2017 and split in 2020.

Rachael Taylor (Maggie Madsen)

Rachael Taylor as Maggie Madsen in 'Transformers'; Rachael Taylor attends a special screening of Netflix's 'Jessica Jones' season 3 at Arclight Cinemas on May 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Robert Zuckerman; Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage

Rachael Taylor played Maggie Madsen, an NSA data analyst who identified the Decepticon signal during a data breach.

The Australian actress has plenty of genre work to her name, including the slasher *See No Evil* (2006), the supernatural horror film *Shutter* (2008), and the sci-fi actioner *The Darkest Hour* (2011). That goes for the small screen as well, where she landed regular roles on *666 Park Avenue* and Marvel’s *Jessica Jones*. She also acquainted herself with a more mainstream crowd with an eight-episode arc on season 7 of *Grey's Anatomy* in 2011.

While Taylor’s last movie role was the heist thriller *Finding Steve McQueen* (2019), she recently made a cameo as a stylist in season 3 of HBO Max's Emmy-winning comedy series *Hacks*.

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Anthony Anderson (Glen Whitmann)

Anthony Anderson as Glen Whitmann in 'Transformers'; Anthony Anderson attends 2024 FOX Winter Press Day at Fox Studio Lot on Nov. 18, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Robert Zuckerman; Andrew Toth/Getty

Anthony Anderson played Glen Whitmann, Maggie's hacker buddy.

Since his early starring role on *Hang Time*, Anderson has been a ubiquitous presence on screens everywhere. Major roles in comedies like *Barbershop *(2002) and *Scary Movie 3 *(2003) helped establish him, but he moved into more serious roles as well, from *Hustle & Flow *(2005) to his recurring role as a street kingpin on *The Shield*.

He found himself on the other side of the law as Leonardo DiCaprio’s fellow trainee in *The Departed *(2006) and in a starring role as Det. Kevin Bernard on *Law & Order* from seasons 18 to 21.

Going from supporting player to small-screen star, Anderson headlined *Black-ish*, earning seven Emmy nominations for his performance and four more as one of the long-running sitcom’s executive producers. He also showed up for guest spots on two spinoffs, *Grown-ish* and *Mixed-ish*.

He hosted *To Tell the Truth, We Are Family* and the 2026 Netflix reboot of *Star Search*, and also appeared as a fictional version of himself in* Scary Movie *(2026)*.*

Anderson was married to Alvina Stewart from 1999 to 2023. They have two children, Kyra and Nathan.

John Turturro (Agent Major Seymour Simmons)

John Turturro as Agent Major Seymour Simmons in 'Transformers'; John Turturro at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 6, 2024, in Toronto, Canada.

Paramount/Courtesy Everett; Tracey Biel/Variety via Getty

John Turturro played Seymour Simmons, the Sector 7 agent who clashed with Sam and Mikaela before ultimately requiring their help.

Turturro's collaboration with Spike Lee began with the landmark *Do the Right Thing* (1989). The actor has appeared in 10 of Lee's films overall, including *Mo' Better Blues* (1990), *Jungle Fever* (1991), *Clockers* (1995), and *He Got Game* (1998). He has also worked regularly with the Coen brothers, earning Best Actor honors at Cannes for *Barton Fink* (1991) and appearing in *Miller's Crossing* (1990), *The Big Lebowski* (1998), and *O Brother, Where Art Thou?* (2000).

His role as a real-life contestant-turned-whistleblower in *Quiz Show* (1994) earned him Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations. He’s been similarly decorated on the small screen. The actor won an Emmy for his 2004 guest performance as Adrian’s brother in *Monk*, and his distinctly unglamorous role as a lawyer in HBO’s *The Night Of* (2016) garnered a lead actor nomination. He got two more Emmy nods for Apple TV's sci-fi hit *Severance*.

In addition to four entries in the *Transformers* franchise, Turturro earned high praise as crime boss Carmine Falcone in *The Batman* (2022). In 2026, he starred in Noah Segan’s *The Only Living Pickpocket in New York*.

Turturro has been married to Katherine Borowitz since 1985; they have a son, Diego, and a daughter, Arianna.

Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime)

Optimus Prime (voice: Peter Cullen) in 'Transformers'; Peter Cullen attends the 43rd annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Westin Bonaventure Hotel on April 29, 2016, in Los Angeles, Calif.

DreamWorks LLC/Paramount; David Livingston/Getty

Peter Cullen reprised his 1980s role as the voice of Optimus Prime, the Autobot leader disguised as a semi-truck.

Beyond the original cartoon series, he also played the character in the 1986 animated film and has remained in the role since the 2007 film.

The veteran Canadian actor has lent his voice to dozens of TV series over the years, including *Voltron*, *DuckTales, Dino-Riders*, *G.I. Joe*, and* Invincible*. He also voiced Eeyore in various Pooh projects, including *The Tigger Movie *(2000)*.* He was given a lifetime achievement award by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2023.

Cullen and his wife have four children: Clay, Angus, Claire, and Pilar.

Mark Ryan (Bumblebee)

Bumblebee (voice: Mark Ryan) in 'Transformers'; Mark Ryan attends the New York premiere of 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' at the Ziegfeld Theatre on June 25, 2014, in New York City.

DreamWorks LLC/Paramount; Neilson Barnard/FilmMagic

Mark Ryan provided the voice for Bumblebee, Sam's devoted guardian in the shape of a Chevy Camaro.

Ryan worked as the on-set voice of various robots, which were then dubbed over by other performers. During editing, Michael Bay decided to use Ryan's voice for Bumblebee, who is mute for most of the film but has a few lines at the end. Ryan returned to voice Bumblebee and Jetfire in two sequels, voiced Lockdown in *Transformers: Age of Extinction* (2014), and voiced Lieutenant in *Transformers: The Last Knight* (2017)*.*

Ryan has been an actor on British television and the stage for many years, and is recognized in the U.K. as Nasir from the series *Robin of Sherwood*. He also had a memorable role on Bay's 2014 pirate series *Black Sails.* His other work includes guest appearances on *Frasier*,* Alias*, *Community*, and* Granite Flats*.

Darius McCrary (Jazz)

Jazz (voice: Darius McCrary) in 'Transformers'; Darius McCrary at the 'The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat' Los Angeles premiere held at the Culver Theater on Aug. 23, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif.

DreamWorks LLC/Paramount; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Darius McCrary voiced Jazz, Optimus Prime's second-in-command, who appeared as a silver Pontiac Solstice.

McCrary is best known for his role on *Family Matters* as the eldest son, Eddie Winslow. On the big screen, he booked supporting roles in the buddy cop film *15 Minutes* (2001) and star-studded ensemble comedy *Kingdom Come* (2001) alongside his future *Transformers* costar Anthony Anderson.

Outside the *Transformers *franchise, the actor was featured on the CBS soap *The Young and the Restless* and appeared on *Anger Management*,* The Leftovers*, and *Star*. He was one of the stars of Allblk’s *Monogamy* before acting in the features *Killer Bloodline* (2024), *Who’s Cheating Who?* (2024), and *Sebastian* (2025).

Hugo Weaving (Megatron)

Megatron (voice: Hugo Weaving) in 'Transformers'; Hugo Weaving attends the Sydney premiere of 'How to Make Gravy' at Palace Cinemas Moore Park on Nov. 21, 2024, in Sydney, Australia.

DreamWorks LLC/Paramount; Saverio Marfia/Getty

Hugo Weaving was Megatron, leader of the fiendish Decepticons who sought control of the AllSpark.

American audiences first saw the veteran Australian actor as drag queen Mitzi Del Bra in the road comedy *The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert *(1994)*.* A few years later, he earned a permanent place in cinema history as Agent Smith in *The Matrix* (1999), a role he reprised in two sequels. He added an even bigger franchise shortly afterward as the Half-elven Elrond in the *Lord of the Rings* trilogy.

Weaving further endeared himself to sci-fi audiences as the title character in *V for Vendetta* (2005) and as the nefarious Red Skull in the MCU’s *Captain America: The First Avenger *(2011)*.* He worked with the Wachowskis yet again for their wildly ambitious adaptation of *Cloud Atlas *(2012). His big-screen work also includes the Best Picture-nominated war film *Hacksaw Ridge *(2016), the steampunk epic *Mortal Engines* (2018), and the acclaimed thriller *The Royal Hotel *(2023).

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Sharp-eared viewers will also recognize his voice from playing the sheepdog Rex in *Babe* (1995) and *Babe: Pig in the City *(1998), as well as Noah the Elder from *Happy Feet *(2006) and its 2011 follow-up. The actor had a key recurring role in the fourth season of the Gary Oldman-led spy thriller *Slow Horses*, and is set to return for the sixth season.

Weaving has been with his partner, Katrina Greenwood, since 1984; they have two children, Harry and Holly.

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