FKA Twigs is opening up more details about its alleged abusive relationship with actor Shia LaBeouf.
Twigs, 32, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, filed a lawsuit last month against LaBeouf, 34, in the Los Angeles Superior Court, citing aggression, aggression and the imposition of emotional distress.
On Monday, Barnett appeared on the BBC podcast “Grounded with Louis Theroux”, where she remembers her first date on the set of “Honey Boy” in 2019 and the relationship between them that followed. In the lawsuit, first reported by The New York Times, Barnett accuses LaBeouf of abusing her “relentlessly” emotionally, physically and mentally.
At the time, LaBeouf told the Times that “many of the charges” made against him “are not true”.
In conversation with Theroux, Barnett said that the actor began to exercise control over her and she found herself obeying his supposed “rules”.
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“Being kind to a waiter or polite to someone, who can be seen as me flirting or wanting to have some kind of relationship with someone else, when I’m literally just asking for noodles … I was told I knew what he was like I loved him, I wouldn’t look men in the eye. That was my reality for a good four months, “said Barnett.
Shia LaBeouf’s ex-girlfriend, FKA Twigs, claims that the actor established ‘rules’ for her during her alleged abusive relationship.
(Rich Fury / Getty images)
LaBeouf also set a “quota” for the singer on how many times she should kiss him a day.
“I had a quota that I needed to meet, that would change,” says Barnett in the interview. “It was like touching or looking or kissing … Your previous partner apparently answered that number very well, so I was inadequate compared to his previous partner. And I had to give the correct touches and kisses.”
Barnett said that if she didn’t meet the actor’s expectations, “he would start an argument with me, scold me for hours.” She concluded that it made her “feel like the worst person ever.”
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A LaBeouf representative did not immediately respond to Fox News’s request for comment. In December, the actor denied “many of the charges”.
At the heart of the lawsuit is a 2019 incident involving Barnett as a passenger in a car driven “recklessly” by LaBeouf. According to The New York Times, the singer and songwriter accused LaBeouf of “removing the seat belt and threatening to fall unless she professes her love for him”.
Barnett reflected on this incident with Theroux, explaining that it prompted her to call a helpline for abused women. Although she felt as if she “was never believed”, the singer recalled the reaction on the other end of the line “so serious”.
FKA TWIGS SUES SHIA LABEOUF FOR ALLEGED ABUSE DURING YOUR PAST RELATIONSHIP
FKA Twigs (left) filed a lawsuit against Shia LaBeouf (right) in December, accusing him of “relentless” physical, emotional and mental abuse.
(Getty Images / Reuters)
“Someone was taking it so seriously and wants to take me to a safe place. It was a big warning sign. That’s when I realized that I need a lot of help to get out of this,” she said.
“A few months later” and with the help of a therapist, Barnett says he managed to get away from the relationship.
The “Cellophane” artist also explained that her decision to perform is to spread awareness to others who may find themselves in similar situations of abuse, in addition to planning a bright future for her.
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“All I can do is think about myself when I’m 50 [and] I have children, I think about what I want to have represented, “she said.” This is something that was completely unexpected. I never thought that something like this would happen to me … When I’m older, if I have a daughter, I want to be able to say: ‘It happened to me. And I handled it. ‘”
In addition, Barnett said he now wants to bring awareness to the consequences of an abusive relationship. After leaving, she recognized how much work she still needs to do with herself.
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“I don’t think we really talk about, as a society, healing the game and how much work needs to be done to recover and get back to the person you were before,” she said.
The Transformers said last month that he has struggled with alcoholism and is receiving therapy.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images for HFA)
Barnett’s attorney Bryan Freedman issued a statement after she filed the lawsuit against LaBeouf in December. The lawsuit also included claims by LaBeouf’s ex-girlfriend, Karolyn Pho. “Shia LaBoeuf abused Mrs. Barnett, Mrs. Pho and others. We tried to resolve the matter privately, with the proviso that Mr. LaBeouf would agree to receive meaningful and consistent psychological treatment. As he was not willing to agree to get help appropriate, Mrs. Barnett opened this process to prevent others from unknowingly suffering similar abuses by him. “
In an email to the Times, LaBeouf acknowledged his alcoholism and revealed that he is a “sober member of a 12-step program” in addition to receiving therapy.
“I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, just rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting people close to me. I am ashamed of this story and I feel sorry for those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say, “said LaBeouf in December.
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Barnett told Theroux that she knows it is a “great thing to heal” in the public eye. “I’m a big girl and I can do that,” she said.
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224.