New 'Transformers' Babe Rosie Huntington-Whitely Says Shia LaBeouf Worried Her

(Reuters)

Shia LeBeouf may be in hot water this week after revealing to Details Magazine that he had an off-screen fling with his now-married former co-star, Megan Fox. But according to his new leading lady, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, the 25-year-old actor is simply as honest as can be, and that’s one of his greatest strengths.

“I met Shia right at the beginning of all this, right in the process of me taking the role, and he was really honest. Anyone knows that Shia will tell you he’s an extremely honest guy and that’s one of his great values,” the model turned actress told FOX411’s Pop Tarts while promoting the highly-anticipated “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” in Moscow, Russia last week. “He really broke it down for me and said ‘Look, you’ve never worked this hard and it is going to be the most intense six months of your life, and the most intense six months after promoting it.' So he worried me a bit. I didn’t quite know what I was getting myself in for. But he helped me every step of the way.”

Despite the nerves, the 24-year-old “Victoria’s Secret” bombshell insisted on being in the middle of all of the on-set bombing and madness.

“I was so eager to do the stunts. I’m a farm girl, I grew up on a farm, so for me going up on a wire and jumping through fire or through a rolled over, turned-up car, or the explosions going off behind me, was the most exciting thing,” Huntington-Whitely gushed. “I really loved it. Any nerves I felt as Rosie I was able to throw into (my character) and it was great. It was okay to be scared. She’s scared.”

And yes, it seems earning big bucks on a Michael Bay set is significantly more strenuous than earning big bucks posing for pictures or roaming a runway.

“(Acting) feels like a natural progression for me, and I’ve really enjoyed taking the things I learned as a model onto the set,” she continued. “It’s also completely different. As a model you’re selling something and you’re always made to be looking pretty most of the time – you’re clean and you’re working normal hours. And then you land head first onto a Michael bay set, which is like 17 hour days and you’re dirty and you’re hot and sweaty and smelly and exhausted and shooting down a dirty back alley and running through explosions. It was completely different, but great.”

And even with Megan out and film virgin Rosie in, original “Transformers” star Shia LeBeouf is confident number three will far surpass the heavily-panned number two installment.

“Everyone was head-low coming out of the second movie, especially when you take pride in your work. Nobody shows up to make a subpar movie. We gave it everything we had and the situation didn’t work out. The movie wound up being what it was. Some people liked it, I didn't, and I felt that pressure,” he added. “I was anxious to come back because you want to rectify the wrong for both me and Mike (Bay.) But I think this is the best movie we have made since we knew each other, and that was the intent – to go out with a bang. This is the best movie we’ve made and I’m really proud of it.”