FKA Twigs Settles Lawsuit Alleging Abuse by Shia LaBeouf

FKA Twigs and Shia LaBeouf have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which the British singer accused the American actor of subjecting her to physical and emotional abuse during their relationship.

A legal representative for FKA Twigs, whose full name is Tahliah Barnett, submitted a request to the Los Angeles Superior Court to dismiss the case against 39-year-old LaBeouf with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be refiled.

In a joint statement, both parties said:

“Committed to forging a constructive path forward, we have agreed to settle our case out of court. While the details of the settlement will remain private, we wish each other personal happiness, professional success and peace in the future.”

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2020, faced numerous delays over the years, with several scheduled trial dates postponed well in advance.

Barnett, aged 37, met LaBeouf in 2018 when she was cast in a supporting role in Honey Boy, an autobiographical film based on LaBeouf’s early life as a child actor. Their romantic relationship soon followed.

According to her lawsuit, what began as a "charm offensive" quickly turned into what she described as a “living nightmare”. She alleged that LaBeouf subjected her to ongoing fear and humiliation, once slammed her into a car, attempted to strangle her, and knowingly transmitted a sexually transmitted infection to her.

Barnett further claimed that LaBeouf isolated her from friends and family, demanded absolute loyalty, and displayed intense jealousy—directed even at waiters she had merely been polite to, and her former fiancé, actor Robert Pattinson.

The suit characterised LaBeouf’s alleged behaviour as part of a broader pattern:

“Shia LaBeouf hurts women. He uses them. He abuses them, both physically and mentally. He is dangerous.”

In a statement released shortly after the lawsuit was filed, LaBeouf acknowledged a pattern of harmful behaviour, stating:

“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.”

However, in a 2021 court filing, LaBeouf denied the allegations, asserting that any injuries or damages sustained by Barnett were not caused by him.

LaBeouf is best known for his roles in Transformers (2007) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). His more recent film credits include The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) and Megalopolis (2024).

FKA Twigs, celebrated for her genre-defying music, began her career as a backing dancer before releasing her critically acclaimed debut album LP1 in 2014. She followed it with 2019’s Magdalene and her most recent project Eusexua, released earlier this year. She also appeared as an actress in the 2024 film The Crow.