Shia Labeouf addresses allegations of “relentless abuse”
Warning: this article contains references to suicide and abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
In a new interview, Shia LaBeouf has spoken about the allegations of abuse made against him by his former partner, the singer FKA Twigs. In December 2020, Twigs – AKA Tahliah Barnett – sued the actor, citing “relentless abuse” during their relationship. Shortly after, she filed a lawsuit accusing the actor of assault, sexual battery and the infliction of emotional distress. LaBeouf has denied all allegations.
Speaking to Jon Bernthal on an episode of his podcast Real Ones, LaBeouf discussed the accusations, though he made sure not to name or make reference to Barnett. “I hurt that woman. And in the process of doing that, I hurt many other people, and many other people before that woman. I was a pleasure-seeking, selfish, self-centred, dishonest, inconsiderate, fearful human being,” LaBeouf said.
The actor claims that he was suicidal when the allegations first emerged. “I went and loaded up a gun and sat on my table,” he said. “I was gonna kill myself.” He went on to note that, after seeking the advice of similarly-disgraced stars Josh Brolin and Sean Penn, LaBeouf sought treatment for his alcoholism and psychological issues.
During his conversation with Bernthal, LaBeouf said that he was been meeting with a group of “60 dudes” every week since then. They go for bike rides, take part in zoom calls and have beach meet-ups. The actor said that the group “saved my fucking life”. He also referred to an unnamed accuser as a “saint”, before noting: “Had she not intervened in my life and not created the avenue for me to experience ego death, I’d either have a really mediocre existence or I’d be dead in full.”
LaBeouf continued: “I’m in the tribe of the fuck-ups. I’m a very public sinner, a very fallible person in the public sphere. What I think now my purpose is, is to not do… the other examples that we’ve had of how to navigate something like this — which is to go after the woman, or try to win a court case, or get back into a fucking movie or like get back on at all:.
The actor concluded: “I fucked up bad, like crash-and-burn-type shit. [I] hurt a lot of people, and I’m fully aware of that. And I’m going to owe for the rest of my life”.
