Christy Carlson Romano, the star of the Disney Channel sitcom “Even Stevens,” has opened up about working alongside co-star Shia LaBeouf during their teenage years on the show. Speaking to Amanda Hirsch on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, Romano said the two were “like oil and water,” despite both being just teens at the time.
Romano was 14 and LaBeouf was 12 when they filmed the series from 2000 to 2003. The show followed Ren (Romano) and Louis (LaBeouf), the younger siblings of the Stevens family, who clashed regularly thanks to their opposite personalities.
Romano’s Strict Upbringing
Romano described her upbringing as rigid and performance-driven. Her mother pushed her toward Juilliard pre-college work and other intensive training, which she called “cross-training.” The approach came with a specific expectation.
“I was being raised and brought up to be this type A, I mean exactly like Ren Stevens. Like, you know your lines, you hit your marks, you don’t mess up,” she said. “You’re a New York kid, like that comes with a certain echelon… I was trying to go to pre-college Juilliard… everything we were doing, my mom called it cross-training, came with a certain dollar amount of training.”
She framed her childhood as disciplined and structured, with clear goals tied to future success.
LaBeouf’s Chaotic Childhood
Romano contrasted LaBeouf’s background with her own. She said he grew up in a far more unstable environment.
“He was a Venice Beach kind of bum kid,” she said. “It’s like that kind of vagrant fun, but also very chaotic and very scary lifestyle, and he was very young to be having that.” She compared his upbringing to the 1995 Larry Clark film “Kids,” which depicts a chaotic street life for young people.
LaBeouf has spoken publicly about his tumultuous childhood, including his father’s history with addiction and periods of abuse. Romano’s description captures the stark difference between their two worlds.
| Romano | LaBeouf |
|---|---|
| Raised in New York | Grew up in Venice Beach |
| Disciplined, structured upbringing | Chaotic, unstable lifestyle |
| Pushed toward Juilliard prep | Young, exposed to adult problems |
| Described as “type A” | Compared to “Kids” |
A Rare Moment of Credit
Romano did find one area where LaBeouf impressed her. She noted that he found his manager at just eight years old, calling it a feat of determination.
“The ‘Transformers’ and ‘Holes’ star had a dream and made it happen for himself,” she added.
The admiration is notable because Romano’s broader account paints a strained working relationship between the two teens.
What Happened After the Show
Romano has weighed in on LaBeouf before. Earlier this year, she posted and then deleted a statement on X, reading: “Shia doesn’t deserve to be on the Rushmore. I’ll be writing a Substack on this so you can understand why.” That comment came after “That’s So Raven” star Raven-Symoné was asked who she’d put on her Disney Mount Rushmore, and she named LaBeouf as one of them.
On Tuesday, Romano posted a photo of herself with LaBeouf and his father on the set of “Even Stevens” to Instagram. The caption was reflective.
“Recently found this picture. Shia and I spent 3 years of our lives right next to each other in adjoining trailers, both of us enduring painful childhoods,” she wrote. “If only we could have been there for each other, but we were each going through our own battles and could barely take care of ourselves.” She concluded by saying she’d “finally” be sharing everything in her forthcoming memoir, “Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star,” which will be available on Oct. 6.
Reading Between the Lines
Romano’s account is frank about the friction between the two teens, but it also carries a note of nostalgia. She describes spending three years next to each other in adjoining trailers, enduring painful childhoods, and wishing they could have been there for each other.
The memoir promises to unpack the whole story. For now, Romano’s podcast appearance offers a rare, candid look at a pairing that audiences never saw behind the scenes.
The comparison between Romano’s structured New York upbringing and LaBeouf’s chaotic Venice Beach childhood is the heart of the story. Romano’s description of their relationship as “like oil and water” fits perfectly with the two worlds colliding on set.
Source material: “Christy Carlson Romano Says She and ‘Even Stevens’ Co-Star Shia LaBeouf Were ‘Like Oil and Water’ While Filming the Disney Channel Show,” Variety.
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