A trial date has been set for FKA Twigs’ case against ex-boyfriend Shia LeBeouf, whom she dated for almost 2 years. In 2020, the British “Cellophane” singer, 34, sued LaBeouf, 35, for assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Her lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told Rolling Stone:
“The gaslighting has gone on long enough here and it’s time to hold Shia LeBeouf accountable.” The case is set to start on April 17, 2023. Twigs, whose real name is Tahliah Barnett, claims that LeBeouf physically and emotionally abused her during their relationship. She also shared that he knowingly gave her a sexually transmitted disease. The pair started dating after meeting on the set of the 2018 film Honey Boy.
Shortly after the news of the lawsuit circulated, Barnett took to Instagram to share what was going on:
“it may be surprising to you to learn that i was in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. it was hard for me to process too, during and after i never thought something like this would happen to me. 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.”
In an interview with Gayle King last year, the songstress had an insightful retort to the question of why she didn’t leave her abusive relationship with LeBeouf. “I think we just have to stop asking that question,” Barnett replied. “I know that you’re asking it out of love, but I’m just gonna make a stance and say that I’m not gonna answer that question anymore because the question should really be to the abuser, ‘Why are you holding someone hostage with abuse?’”
The artist released her debut mixtape Caprisongs earlier this year.