Alma Har'el has publicly taken a stand in support of FKA twigs.
Less than a week after the singer-songwriter, born Tahliah Barnett, filed a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend Shia LaBeouf for alleged sexual battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress among other claims, her and LaBeouf's Honey Boy director has spoken out.
"I have a deep respect for FKA Twigs' courage and resilience. Reading what she endured left me heartbroken and I stand with her in solidarity," Har'el said in a statement first published by Variety. "I'm sending my love to her, Karolyn Pho, all victims of domestic violence, and everyone who is trying to stop cycles of abuse." Pho, who previously dated LaBeouf, was also mentioned in twig's lawsuit and described abusive behavior she allegedly suffered from the actor in an interview with The New York Times.
Continuing her statement, Har'el also addressed working with LaBeouf on the 2019 film he wrote and through which he and twigs first met, according to the lawsuit. "As a filmmaker and an artist, I am drawn to stories that help us develop empathy for the messy parts of the human condition," she explained. "Like many of Shia's collaborators and fans who battled substance abuse, suffered childhood trauma, and face mental illness, I am painfully aware of my past investment in his recovery. I want to send a clear message today that none of the above should excuse, minimize, or rationalize domestic violence."
Simultaneously, the director expressed her hope that the film's positive impact is not diminished as a result of these allegations. "I'm grateful that survivors of childhood trauma have seen some aspects of themselves in Honey Boy and might feel less alone in their pain," she continued. "I hope that they don't take these events as a discouraging moment in their own recovery."
Har'el concluded her statement with how she plans to tangibly help those suffering from domestic violence and partner violence in honor of twigs and Pho. "I will be donating in Twigs' and Karolyn Pho's names to FreeFrom, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and Sistah Space," she shared. "I support and encourage victims in similar situations to speak up and seek help so they can create a path to safety and the healthy relationship they deserve."
In an email to The New York Times, LaBeouf wrote, "I'm not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel. I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I'm ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say."
In response to the claims Pho and twigs made in the lawsuit and to the Times, LaBeouf told the newspaper in a separate email that "many of these allegations are not true." He also said he owed the women "the opportunity to air their statements publicly and accept accountability for those things I have done."