For the role of Kale, the troubled teen whose daily routine now includes spying on the neighbors, the filmmakers were looking for an actor who had the stamina to sustain throughout the film (his character is in nearly every scene) and to bring out all the dimensions and nuances of a teenager’s personality. 

That meant he had to be smart, funny, a little bit dark, a little bit quirky and, ultimately, have the ability to take charge and act heroic.

The search came to a quick resolution when one Shia LaBeouf walked into the audition room…and, more or less, walked out with the part: LaBeouf has managed to bridge the tricky career breach between being a child actor (with an immensely popular television series under his belt) and a young leading man (he’s headlined several films, including the upcoming blockbuster “Transformers” for director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg).

The director says, “It was a tough casting choice because Kale is pretty much in every scene.  And we had had discussions about Kale being relatable, not that perfect-looking, cover model type. I mean, for me, some of my favorite actors growing up were Sean Penn and John Cusack.  Shia is a charming intellectual, a really good-looking guy. 

Halfway through Shia’s reading, though, I just knew he was this guy and as soon as the door closed, I told the casting director, ‘That’s him.  We found him.’”
Caruso admits he wasn’t familiar with LaBeouf’s previous work even though his children are fans of his show, “Even Stevens.” 

But he found him to be a great natural actor, whose “realness” comes across onscreen, which was essential for his central character, someone the audience could identify with (flaws and all) and cheer on. In addition, he was able to handle all the plot turns inherent in the script.  (Interestingly, LaBeouf notes that Caruso’s compelling “The Salton Sea” is one of his favorite films, and that he auditioned for “Disturbia” primarily for the chance to work with him).  

“I think the different tones in ‘Disturbia’ come from our everyday lives,” says Caruso. “There are moments in life where you’re laughing and, a minute later, you’re scared out of your wits.  That’s what makes the movie work, and much of that is due to Shia’s talent. He has that balance.  In working with him, I discovered that if the moment felt real he was okay about exploring all these different avenues.”
For LaBeouf, Kale was an attractive character to create.

“When Kale loses his father, his whole world changes,” he says. “He becomes a dark, somewhat closed-off human being.  Because his mom is dealing with the same pain, she’s not available, so Kale turns into this out-of-control kid under house arrest. It’s kind of like dangling meat in front of a dog. In jail, you’re locked away from the world, but on house arrest, the world is tantalizingly out there in front of you.   And on top of that, he may be living across from a killer.

“The question of whether it’s true or not,” he continues, “becomes his ultimate focus…and the windows of his house become his world.  He doesn’t want to deal with his feelings because the pain is too intense. So, he starts looking out and finding himself outside.

He begins to explore other people’s pain as he views relationships unfolding and falling apart.  While doing that, he finds someone he thinks is a murderer.”
Though technology becomes a primary factor in Kale’s campaign to prove that what he thinks he has seen is true, it also impacts n Kale’s isolation and loneliness.

“YouTube and MySpace have supposedly revolutionized communication for kids,” LaBeouf mentions.  But I’m not so sure. They always said cell phones would bring people closer together, but they really take you farther away, especially because some people prefer to text rather than have a conversation. 

Kale is growing up in the middle of change in the way we communicate. Streaming video clips and media of all sorts are available to him, and they become his connection to the outside.  Technology enables him to become the ultimate voyeur and that informs his whole being.”

Someone who is eager to escape notice in Kale’s new voyeuristic world is Mr. Turner, the elusive loner across the way. On the surface, Turner appears to be the ideal neighbor.  The lawn and exterior of his home are manicured. His trash never piles up. 

He’s quiet and keeps to himself – that is until Kale and his friends start spying on him and witness some potentially disturbing behavior. 
To portray Turner, the “Disturbia” filmmakers turned to the versatile and prolific David Morse, whose performances have run the gamut from the ideal father (“Contact”) to the caring doctor (television’s “St. Elsewhere”), the prison guard (“The Green Mile”) to the menace in Samaritan’s clothing (on the Broadway stage in “How I Learned to Drive”).

For Caruso, although Turner is complex on paper, his character is rather simple: He’s an unassuming guy who loves his house, and when Kale infringes on his somewhat twisted little paradise, all he can he do is try and preserve the peace…even if it ultimately leads to violence. 

“I had met David years ago on the set of ‘The Green Mile’ because a good friend of mine, Frank Darabont, wrote and directed it,” says Caruso. “I’d always admired him as an actor. I thought ‘St. Elsewhere’ was one of the best shows on TV, and a lot of that was due to the quiet, subtle character he played.

That’s the level of commitment he brought to this role as well. With every take, he made small, well thought-out changes.  David’s a very daring actor, but in a very quiet way, the acting equivalent of Cal Ripkin.  He’s a solid guy and he’s present every day.  And you don’t even fully appreciate how great he is until you’re in the cutting room.”

Morse looked forward to getting under the character’s skin and creating an inner logic for him that would explain his sociopathic behavior. “I’ve played a few questionable characters, and Turner is one of those guys who can go one way or another,” he says.

“I like walking that fine line and trying to find the integrity of that kind of person, that inner life that makes you wonder.” 
Believe it or not, says Morse, Turner may be similar to his neighbor Kale. For instance, they’re both shy when it comes to dealing with others (the opposite sex in particular).

“Turner describes himself as being shy.  He’s got this beautiful house, a nice car, everything you might want for an ideal life but he doesn’t have relationships,” explains Morse. “No wife, no kids.  So he’s out there seeking something.  And that makes him vulnerable, which is something I like about him.”

Physically, Morse is imposing, standing six-feet, four-inches tall. That stature belies a natural charm, which creates a compelling dichotomy.  Producer Medjuck offers, “He exudes charm on film.  But when he becomes quiet, he can be a little scary because he has such a strong presence.  Also, he’s working with people who are physically smaller and younger, which makes him a great potential bad guy.”

Morse approaches his characters methodically and chose to remain elusive on set, not taking meals or socializing with other cast members.  His deep character work also contributed to a truly believable fight scene between Turner and Kale, LaBeouf recalls.

“We were shooting the fight scene, and since the camera was so close and the set was restrictive, we didn’t use stunt doubles.  We wanted the audience to be up in there. During the shoot, the scene went unbelievably well—we pushed farther and farther, and it was amazing. 

I found out later that he broke three fingers during that scene, but he didn’t mention it, because he didn’t want his character to seem weak.”
As far as his other neighbors go, Kale has a wide assortment to choose from — an unfaithful husband, a pampering dog owner, a taciturn loner…and every high school senior’s ideal girl, Ashley, a new arrival on his block.

The director describes Ashley as “the breath of fresh air, the beautiful girl that moves in next-door.  While the earliest draft of the script described her as basically the hot girl with the great body and beautiful smile, as the story was developed her character become more multi-dimensional. There’s a lot going on in her house and life, too. 

And she becomes the object of Kale’s desire. “Everything is going bad for Kale until she moves in,” observes Caruso. “So she signifies hope. Part of Kale’s story is that he’s always looking outside himself for answers — and through every window is a different movie. 

The couple across the street are in a comedy about infidelity.  Turner and his suspicious goings-on are out the back window of his dad’s study.  And from his bedroom window is Ashley, the ultimate dream girl, right out of ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ or ‘Summer of ‘42.’”

Relative newcomer Sarah Roemer was cast as Kale’s “it” girl, Ashley.   “Ashley’s from the city, and her parents—who are having problems themselves—have moved to the suburbs, which she didn’t really want to do,” says Roemer.  “Since she has a lot of issues with her mother, she desperately wants to get out of the house whenever she can.  Then she sees Kale, who is also stuck in his house, although under very different circumstances.  They both feel trapped, and that leads to a connection. Yeah, there’s physical attraction, but it’s almost more of an inner connection that bonds them…at first, anyway.”

Despite Ashley’s interest in Kale as a kindred spirit, he still feels the need to impress her. Screenwriter Landon found that to be part of the charm of the relationship. “Kale tries to be all cool, but he’s not a jock.  He’s clearly different.  Even before his house arrest, he didn’t go to keggers, he didn’t hit cool parties.  But he’s trying to be cool even though she can see through that.  It may even be what she likes about him.”

For Kale’s mother, Julie, the filmmakers nabbed “The Matrix’s” iconic Carrie-Anne Moss. And while audiences are familiar with her on-screen persona as someone who kicks ass, her role in “Disturbia” called for a different set of acting skills, deep maternal affection combined with a strong dose of tough love. “If Ashley is the dream neighbor, Carrie-Anne as Julie is sort of the dream mom,” says Caruso. “While she’s age-appropriate to be a mom—and is in real life—she’s also still amazingly beautiful and a superb actress with a warm, motherly instinct, qualities she brought to the set every day.”

“When I first read the script, I loved the fact that I would be supporting another person’s journey, another actor’s journey,” says Moss. “It appealed to me as a performer, as a woman, and also appealed to me for my life. What really drew me was Kale’s journey, and what the actor would be going through—I wanted to watch it.  Shia did such a great job.  I think we’re all a little bit in awe of him.  He’s very special.”

What would a journey for a teen under house arrest be without a sidekick, preferably someone on the eccentric side, a bit of a cut-up, a slacker with brains.  Enter Aaron Yoo as Ronnie, Kale’s (somewhat reluctant) legman, whom he enlists to wander into dangerous places where Kale cannot go because it’s too far beyond the perimeters of his house.

The director reasons that since Kale and Ronnie were best friends prior to Kale’s sentencing, Ronnie is, by association, also under house arrest…at least, empathically.  While Kale has a tendency toward dark, sullen moods, Ronnie serves as a balancing influence with his jovial manner, sunny outlook and overall innocent demeanor.

“Almost from the beginning—from the character breakdown to meeting D.J.—everyone just kept saying, ‘Hey, it’s you, only on paper,’” laughs Yoo. “I was, like, ‘Great, but I don’t really know how to prepare to play me on paper.’  While I might have tended to push the comedy, D.J. was always about building the friendship between my character and Kale, and letting the comedy follow.  I mean, if you think about it, I’m playing a guy who’s worried about his friend maybe going crazy because of his dad’s death, so the comedy comes from Ronnie trying to deal with that in his own way, a childish, ADD kind of thing -- comic quips, sarcasm and just tripping over things, physically or mentally.”

The alchemy created by the ensemble of actors impressed LaBeouf and, because of the high comfort level established on set by their director, the group began to insinuate their scripted alter-egos with subtle changes. “On paper, it’s a pretty good story, but D.J. is obsessed with character and when you have that kind of director you are able to branch off and go in different directions, which make the script really come to life,” says LaBeouf. “That’s what made me really want to do the film.”