FKA twigs says she left 'little clues' in case Shia LaBeouf shot her

FKA Twigs
(Image credit: Joe Maher/Getty Images for Bauer Media)

FKA twigs is continuing to open up about Shia LaBeouf's alleged abuse, in a new interview saying recovering from it has been the "hardest thing I've ever tried to do."

The musician, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, spoke with Elle about her allegations that LaBeouf was abusive during their relationship, which first came to light in a lawsuit she filed accusing him of "sexual battery, assault and infliction of emotional distress."

"It's a miracle I came out alive," she told Elle, going on to say that it's "pure luck that I'm not in that situation anymore."

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Barnett called LaBeouf an "inherently abusive" person and explained that she once sent a picture of the gun he kept beside the bed to her manager, an attempt to leave behind "clues" in case he shot her in the middle of the night thinking she was an intruder.

"I was very intimidated living with him," she said. "He had a gun by the side of the bed and was erratic. [I never knew what would] make him angry with me. ...I thought to myself, 'If he shoots me, and then if there is some sort of investigation, they will put the pieces together. I need to leave little clues.'"

Barnett also alleged LaBeouf would brag about shooting stray dogs to "get into character," and she told Elle that when she called him out about this, he accused her of "not supporting me in my art." Numerous people close to LaBeouf "knew exactly what was going on," she said.

Now, Barnett, who also spoke out in an interview with CBS This Morning on Wednesday, says she's "taking my life back" — and discussing her experience to "inspire" people and demonstrate that "it can happen to anyone." LaBeouf has denied Barnett's allegations, but admitted to The New York Times that he has a "history of hurting the people closest to me."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.