Australian singer Sia Furler has thrown her support behind fellow musician FKA twigs, revealing that she too had suffered abuse at the hands of actor Shia LaBeouf.
LaBeouf was most recently involved in a relationship with 26-year-old actress Margaret Qualley, daughter of Andie McDowell, but the pair have now parted ways in the wake of the allegations made by his ex-partner.
I too have been hurt emotionally by Shia, a pathological liar, who conned me into an adulterous relationship claiming to be single. I believe he's very sick and have compassion for him AND his victims. Just know, if you love yourself- stay safe, stay away. https://t.co/2NNEj9w8b1
— sia (@Sia) December 13, 2020
Sia posted about her experience on Twitter saying, “I too have been hurt emotionally by Shia, a pathological liar, who conned me into an adulterous relationship claiming to be single. I believe he’s very sick and have compassion for him AND his victims. Just know, if you love yourself- stay safe, stay away.”
LaBeouf appeared in Sia’s 2015 music video for Elastic Heart, when both of them were in relationships with other people: LaBeouf with Mia Goth and Sia with her then-husband Erik Anders Lang.
Little else is currently known about the relationship that transpired between the pair, or how it unravelled.
In a subsequent Tweet, Sia expressed her support and admiration for FKA twigs, writing, “This is very courageous and I’m very proud of you.”
FKA twigs, whose real name is Tahliah Barnett, filed a lawsuit against ex-boyfriend LaBeouf on December 11 on the grounds of “relentless abuse,” according to court documents.
The singer-songwriter claims that during their year-long relationship, the actor subjected her to assault, sexual battery and emotional distress. Barnett’s suit also claims the Transformers actor knowingly gave her an STD.
The lawsuit alleges that Barnett was once woken up by LaBeouf standing over her, violently squeezing her arms against her will and choking her while in another incident he allegedly threatened to crash the car he was driving while Barnett was inside, unless she professed her love for him.
it may be surprising to you to learn that i was in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. it was hard for me to process too, during and after i never thought something like this would happen to me.
— FKA twigs (@FKAtwigs) December 11, 2020
The singer, who is suing for unspecified damages, explained her reasons for coming forward with her story in a thread of tweets that read: “It may be surprising to you to learn that I was in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. It was hard for me to process too, during and after I never thought something like this would happen to me. Which is why I have decided it’s important for me to talk about it and try to help people understand that when you are under the coercive control of an abuser or in an intimate partner violent relationship leaving doesn’t feel like a safe or achievable option.”
Barnett’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, says that 34-year-old LaBeouf has a history of abuse with women — an accusation that the actor hasn’t necessarily denied.
In an interview with The New York Times, LaBeouf admitted that his alcoholism and aggression had caused pain to the people around him for years but that he was “not in any position to tell anyone how (his) behaviour made them feel.”
“I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say,” the actor said.
Meanwhile Karolyn Pho, another former girlfriend of LaBeouf’s, is also named in the lawsuit as having been allegedly abused by the Honey Boy star.
The allegations are just the latest controversy for the former child actor who has had a long history of personal unrest.
In 2011 he was arrested in Sherman Oaks, California after getting into a bar fight although no charges were pressed.
LaBeouf made headlines again in 2014 after an episode during a performance of the musical Cabaret in New York. His behaviour was so combative and erratic that one witness said the arresting police officers were forced to muzzle him. He was sentenced to six months of outpatient rehab.
LaBeouf was also arrested twice in 2017 – once in January after an altercation with a man during a rally protesting the inauguration of President Donald Trump (although the charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence), and again in July for public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and obstruction in Savannah, Georgia.
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse or sexual assault, call 1800 737 732 (1800RESPECT)
This is a 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.