FKA twigs Renews Legal Battle Against Shia LaBeouf

Photo Credit: FKA twigs (Instagram)

FKA twigs files a lawsuit against her ex, actor Shia LaBeouf, alleging he is trying to enforce an NDA to silence her in violation of California law.

On Wednesday, FKA twigs, whose legal name is Tahliah Barnett, filed a complaint seeking a court order blocking her ex-boyfriend, actor Shia LaBeouf, from enforcing a non-disclosure agreement that she says violates California state law. The singer-songwriter filed her suit to “right a wrong,” noting that she is acting on behalf of other women “who do not have the resources to speak out and defend themselves from predators.”

The filing stems from a previous lawsuit filed by Barnett in 2020 that accused LaBeouf of sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress. That case was settled last year. But LaBeouf later claimed she breached their agreement by violating its NDA provisions in an interview in which she said she did not feel “safe” after the settlement.

“LaBeouf’s preposterous argument should offend every citizen of California,” reads the complaint, in which Barnett is notably represented by attorney Mathew Rosengart, best known for getting Britney Spears out of her conservatorship.

Barnett’s complaint alleges that LaBeouf argued that the protections of California’s Stand Together Against Non-Disclosure Act (STAND) only apply to claims of “sexual assault,” not ”sexual battery,” a distinction that Rosengart asserts is incorrect.

Further, her filing argues that California law protects survivors from being silenced and enables them to speak about claims related to sexual misconduct. The filing also argues that the NDA between LaBeouf and Barnett is unenforceable under California’s STAND Act, which is designed to limit confidentiality agreements in such cases.

Barnett is notably not seeking damages and is asking the court to declare the provisions of the NDA invalid as well as to prevent LaBeouf from enforcing them.

It’s not the only legal issue plaguing the actor this year. In New Orleans, he was arrested and charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery after an altercation during Mardi Gras. In February, he was ordered to enroll in substance abuse treatment, undergo drug testing, and post a $100,000 bond as conditions of his release.