At some point in the last decade, actor Shia LaBeouf became better known for his actions off the screen than his performances on them. In 2020, musician FKA twigs — who had previously dated LaBeouf — filed a lawsuit against him accusing him of sexual battery, assault and infliction of emotional distress. The two settled the suit last year, and LaBeouf also worked to promote a documentary that depicted him in a very unflattering light. Did this mean he was working to get his life in order and address the issues that had led him to this point?
If so, those efforts have not gone according to plan. LaBeouf has now been arrested multiple times as a result of a bar fight in New Orleans, an incident where, as the Associated Press reported, the actor shouted homophobic slurs while attacking people. He has been charged with battery and simple battery as a result of his actions.
On Saturday, an episode of Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan aired in which LaBeouf spoke candidly about recent events — even as he sounded evasive at times when Callaghan pressed him on certain matters, including his treatment of FKA twigs. Early in the interview, LaBeouf explained that he’d been sober for various points, but was no longer and pointed to his use of kava as a factor.
Callaghan suggested that, if LaBeouf was going to go to bars, it would be good for him to have “a harm reduction strategy,” which seems like sensible advice. LaBeouf responded that he believed he had “a small man complex.” He went on to say, “I think it’s something that has to do with anger and ego more than my drinking.”
We’ve Seen This From Shia LaBeouf Before
“Slauson Rec” documents his horrific treatment of his acting students, and it has his full support. But is he caught in an endless cycle of bad behavior and self-flagellation?His explanation of how this resulted in him getting in to a bar fight? “I’ll be honest with you, big gay people are scary to me,” LaBeouf said. Callaghan asked for more context, to which LaBeouf replied, “When I’m standing by myself and three gay dudes are next to me touching my leg, I get scared. I’m sorry. If I’m homophobic, then I’m that.”
He later said, “I am wrong for touching anyone, ever.” But he also brought up his feelings about his personal space, which leads to an obvious question: If he’s sensitive about his personal space, why was he in a New Orleans bar during Mardi Gras? (Which LaBeouf did seem to recognize as an issue, explaining the fight by saying, “I was drunk and it was Mardi Gras.”)
Watching this play out is mostly depressing: LaBeouf seems to have enough self-awareness to understand the source of some of his issues, yet he keeps engaging in behavior that’s both self-destructive and harmful to others. That’s an especially dangerous combination.
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