In 2007, Fox was suddenly catapulted to stardom as the female lead of the Steven Spielberg-produced "Transformers," based on the popular toy line and animated television series of the early 1980s. Cast opposite fellow newcomer Shia LaBeouf, Fox played yet another in her long line of popular girls, although this one offered some character wrinkles in the form of extensive automotive knowledge, which later came in handy during the film's climactic battle. Director Michael Bay sought to blunt Fox's fragile screen persona by requiring her to gain ten pounds of muscle prior to shooting, and bolstered the physical exhaustion required of her character by continually announcing long night shoots. The approach - though draconian - appeared to work. Critics found her a believable action heroine, and she netted several pop movie award nominations, including a 2008 nod from the MTV Movie Awards for Breakthrough Performance.