Shia LaBeouf and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star Margaret Qualley looked very much like a couple in the wake of FKA twigs' allegations of abuse against Shia, according to a source for E! News.
In October, Shia and Margaret starred together in the music video "Love Me Like You Hate Me" for Margaret's sister Rainey Qualley, whose stage name is Rainsford. This month, the two were seen packing on the PDA in Los Angeles. Now, a source for E! says the two are living together.
"Margaret has been staying with Shia at his place since she came back to LA. They look completely smitten," says the insider. "They spent the afternoon on Monday taking a hike near his house in the late afternoon. He waited for her and put his arm around her."
The new couple stopped to check out the Jupiter and Saturn Great Conjunction, which some are calling the "Christmas star."
"She rested her head on his shoulder and they pointed at the sky together," adds the insider. "Then they switched places and Margaret went behind Shia and showed him what she could see by pointing. They had a good time and it looked like a fun experience to share together. After a few minutes of looking up at the sky they headed back to Shia's house."
The news of the Transformers actor's romance with Margaret comes just more than a week after Shia's ex-girlfriend, British musician FKA twigs, came forward with allegations of abuse by the star in a lawsuit and a subsequent interview with The New York Times.
FKA twigs, who was born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, began dating Shia after the two worked together in his autobiographical film Honey Boy.
She accused Shia of "relentless abuse" and, among other things, that he knowingly gave her a sexually transmitted disease, bragged about shooting dogs around Los Angeles to prepare for a role, made rules about how many times a day she had to kiss and touch him and would become angry if she spoke to male waiters.
Shia responded to the allegations, telling The New York Times, "Although many of these allegations are not true. I am not in the position to defend any of my actions," he explained. "I owe these women the opportunity to air their statements publicly and accept accountability for those things I have done. As someone in recovery, I have to face almost daily reminders of things I did say and do when I was drinking."
As for the reason she came forward, FKA twigs explained to The New York Times, "What I went through with Shia was the worst thing I've ever been through in the whole of my life. I don't think people would ever think that it would happen to me. But I think that's the thing. It can happen to anybody."