Popular actress Megan Fox debuted in films with Holiday in the Sun, playing Brianna Wallace, in 2001, followed by a role as an extra in Bad Boys 2 in 2003. But most people got the first glimpse of Fox when she appeared in Transformers in 2007.
Beyond several screen appearances over the years, Megan Fox’s life off-camera has been filled with intriguing anecdotes. She has been candid about most of them, which paints a broader picture of her career and personal battles.
Battles with mental health, and 4 other lesser-known facts about Megan Fox
1. Clash with Michael Bay on Transformers
Megan Fox’s role as Mikaela Banes in Transformers catapulted her into the spotlight, but it wasn’t without its conflicts. In a candid 2009 interview with Wonderland Magazine, Fox compared director Michael Bay to notorious historical figures, noting his tyrannical set behavior contrasted with his awkward off-set persona.
This sparked a heated feud, culminating in a crew letter blasting Fox’s professionalism. Reflecting on the controversy years later in The New York Times, Fox acknowledged the situation’s complexity. Later, fans saw Fox and bay collaborate again on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2014.
2. Extreme physical transformation for Jennifer’s Body
Megan Fox transformed herself for her role in the 2009 movie Jennifer’s Body, where she played a flesh-eating zombie named Jennifer. To get into character, she lost a lot of weight—about 30 pounds. She talked about this drastic change in a 2009 interview with GQ UK, saying:
“I lost, like, 30lbs. I was like, ‘I’m losing weight for the movie.'”
However, the process was far from easy. Megan thought she was being very methodical, like how some actors immerse themselves into their roles, but it turned out to be too much for her:
“I was telling myself I was being Method, which was so outrageous and ridiculous and not true. But I ended up getting sick and my hair started falling out and I was like, ‘Oh, f—. I can’t do this.'”
3. Teenage misadventure at Walmart
Megan Fox’s teenage years included a memorable incident at Walmart. At the age of 14 or 15, Fox was caught trying to steal Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen cosmetics from the store.
The misstep led to a court appearance where she was given two options for her punishment. Fox chose to wrap Christmas gifts rather than endure the harsher penalty of wearing a sign declaring her theft outside the store for three days. She recounted the experience in an interview with Daily Express, stating:
“I don’t know if the ban was for life, but when I was 14 or 15 I did get caught and convicted of stealing Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen cosmetics from a Wal-Mart. They actually took me into the court and I had two choices and I took the second choice, which was wrapping gifts for Christmas, which was awesome, it wasn’t really a punishment.”
4. Battles with body image and mental health
Megan Fox has been open about her struggles with mental health, particularly regarding her fears of potentially mirroring the troubled life of Marilyn Monroe. In an interview with Wonderland Magazine, she expressed concerns about her mental stability:
“I constantly struggle with the idea that I think I’m a borderline personality. Or that I have bouts of mild schizophrenia. I definitely have some kind of mental problem and I haven’t pinpointed what it is. I feel like I could easily go in that direction and I need to know everything there is to know about it because I feel like it’ll keep it from happening to me.”
5. From aspiring actress to banana suit
Before Megan Fox became famous, she had a unique and memorable job at a smoothie shop in Florida. She shared this fun fact during a 2012 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. At the shop, her daily tasks mainly involved working behind the register, but there was a quirky twist once a week.
“I worked at a little smoothie shop in Florida and I mostly worked behind the register. Once a week, usually on Fridays, someone had to dress up as a fruit, a piece of fruit and go out and stand by the highway,” she explained.
Megan wasn’t just any fruit; she dressed up as a giant banana.
“I was a giant banana,” she said with a laugh.
Her experiences range from the glamorous to the mundane, illustrating a trajectory that is uniquely hers. Whether discussing her early days in a Florida smoothie shop or her challenges on major film sets, Megan Fox has always been open to speaking her mind.
