FKA twigs Reflects on Her "Worst Nightmare" After Coming Forward With Shia LaBeouf Claims

Musician FKA twigs has opened up about her "nightmare" experience with ex Shia LaBeouf after she filed a lawsuit alleging she faced mental and physical abuse from the Honey Boy actor.

By Lindsay Weinberg Dec 12, 2020 1:13 AMTags
Watch: FKA Twigs Accuses Ex Shia LaBeouf of "Relentless Abuse" in Lawsuit

FKA twigs is facing one of her worst nightmares after she sued her ex Shia LaBeouf over alleged abuse.

The New York Times was first to report on Friday, Dec. 11, that the singer filed a lawsuit against the Transformers actor for the "relentless abuse" she allegedly endured.

Later in the day, FKA twigs (whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett) turned to Instagram to express how she felt about the relationship and subsequent publicity.

The 32-year-old wrote on the site that her "second worst nightmare is being forced to share with the world that i am a survivor of domestic violence." However, her first worst nightmare was "not telling anyone and knowing that i could have helped even just one person by sharing my story," she said.

The "cellophane" artist acknowledged that it might be "surprising" for fans to learn she was in what she calls a emotionally and physically abusive relationship. 

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FKA twigs' Wild Styles

"i never thought something like this would happen to me," she wrote. "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."

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She hopes that by sharing her own experience, she can "truly help others feel like they are not alone," and shed light on how to be there for loved ones that might be domestic violence survivors.

FKA twigs added, "i understand it can be confusing and hard to know what to do," explaining, "during covid i have been really anxious because i know many victims will have been literally trapped with their abusers with no relief or way to get out." 

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Court documents obtained by E! News alleged that FKA twigs met LaBeouf on the set of the 2019 film Honey Boy and that he professed his love for her within two weeks. He convinced her to move to L.A. with him and then had fits of jealousy over her past relationship with Batman actor Robert Pattinson, she stated in the lawsuit.

The actress also claimed the 34-year-old actor mentally abused her before turning to physical abuse.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles, read, "Shia LaBeouf hurts women. He uses them. He abuses them, both physically and mentally. He is dangerous."

One alleged incident occurred around Valentine's Day 2019, when LaBeouf "forcibly slammed" FKA twigs against his car and strangled her, according to the lawsuit. He allegedly admitted to a woman he was cheating on her with that he dragged FKA twigs out of the car by her collar. 

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Other allegations leveled in the lawsuit included counting kisses, reckless driving, keeping her in a "constant state of fear" by storing guns in their bedroom and "knowingly" giving her an STD and risking her health. The suit claimed he didn't inform her that he had the disease and later dismissed it as "not that bad."

The legal papers explained that FKA twigs is coming forward now to ensure that "never again will another woman be forced to undergo the brutal treatment" she said she received. The English musician will donate a significant portion of money from the case to charities for survivors of domestic violence.

On Friday, FKA twigs told The New York Times in her interview, "He brought me so low, below myself, that the idea of leaving him and having to work myself back up just seemed impossible."

E! News has reached out to LaBeouf's reps for comment. However, he told the NYT in a statement that he is sober and in the 12-step program to continue his recovery.

The Peanut Butter Falcon star said, "I'm not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel."

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LaBeouf added, "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."

He expressed that, though he is not cured of his PTSD and alcoholism, he is committed to doing "what I need to do to recover, and I will forever be sorry to the people that I may have harmed along the way."

The Los Angeles native was spotted out in his hometown, talking on the phone, on Friday after the accusations came to light.