FKA twigs has alleged that Shia LaBeouf would shamelessly brag about shooting stray dogs during their time together.
The singer opened up in a new interview with Elle, months after filing a lawsuit against the actor in which she accused LaBeouf of sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress.
Twigs, whose real name is Tahlia Barnett, alleged that LaBeouf shot the animals as a way to prepare for his role in the 2020 film The Tax Collector.
“I said to him, ‘That’s really bad. Why are you doing that?’” twigs said.
“And he was like, ‘Because I take my art seriously. You’re not supporting me in my art. This is what I do. It’s different from singing. I don’t just get up on a stage and do a few moves. I’m in the character.’ He made me feel bad, like I didn’t understand what it was like to be an actor or to do this…Method [acting technique].”
LaBeouf’s legal team denied “each and every allegation” levelled at the actor last week.
Shia LaBeouf attends the premiere of Amazon Studios “Honey Boy” at The Dome at Arclight Hollywood on November 05, 2019 in Hollywood, California (Picture: Rich Fury/Getty Images)
In the new interview with ELLE, Twigs further detailed her past relationship and accused LaBeouf of adopting “calculated, systematic, tricky, and maze-like” tactics in order to control her.
“It’s a miracle I came out alive,” she told the publication, adding: “People wouldn’t think that it would happen to a woman like me.”
Explaining how the alleged abuse increased over time, she said: “If you put a frog in a boiling pot of water, that frog is going to jump out straightaway. Whereas if you put a frog in cool water and heat it up slowly, that frog is going to boil to death. That was my experience being with [LaBeouf].”
Barnett went on to recall the alleged incident that took place on Valentine’s Day 2019, which was detailed in the lawsuit filed late last year.
The lawsuit alleges that LaBeouf was driving a car recklessly, with Twigs in the passenger seat, before he then removed his seatbelt and threatened to crash the car unless she professed her love for him. After begging to be let out of the vehicle, the actor allegedly followed and physically assaulted her before forcing her back into his car.
“I was thinking to myself, ‘I wonder what would happen to my body… if [we] smashed into a wall at 80 miles per hour?’,” Barnett explained. “I was looking for the airbag and I couldn’t see the airbag sign, so I was thinking, ‘If he doesn’t have an airbag, will this car crush my sternum?’
“I was thinking, ‘Oh no, if I crouch like that, and the front of the car crashes into my head, will it snap my neck?’ ” Twigs also considered “jump[ing] out of the car at 80 miles an hour” in an attempt to escape.
The singer told the outlet that she believes she survived the relationship due to “pure luck”, adding: “I honestly wish I could say that I found some strength and I saw this light. I wish I could say, ‘[It is] a testament to my strong character,’ or ‘It’s the way my mother raised me.’
Weeks after Twigs first accused LaBeouf of abuse, his lawyer said the actor was looking to enter a rehab facility to address his addiction and psychological issues.
If you or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, call the following for help:
Domestic Violence Assist – 0800 195 8699
National Centre for Domestic Violence – 0800 970 2070
Victim Support – 0808 168 9 111
