Margaret Qualley has spoken out for the first time since abuse allegations against her ex-boyfriend, Shia LaBeouf, emerged at the end of last year.
Posting on Instagram over the weekend, she sent a short message of support to singer FKA Twigs, who also dated the actor.
Twigs – whose legal name is Tahliah Barnett – filed a lawsuit in December 2020 accusing LaBeouf of abusing her “physically, mentally and emotionally” during their relationship, which she later described as the “worst thing I’ve ever been through in the whole of my life”.
On Saturday, Qualley posted a photo of Twigs on the cover of Elle magazine’s March issue, simply writing “thank you” in the caption, after months of silence on the matter.
Qualley’s post was quickly flooded with comments, including from her mother, actor Andie MacDowell, who wrote: “Precious girls. Beloved.”
When news of the lawsuit first broke, Qualley and LaBeouf had reportedly been dating for several months, after first sparking romance rumours when they appeared together in the NSFW music video for Rainsford’s Love Me Like You Hate Me.
The two were spotted kissing in the weeks following Twigs’ lawsuit, which also included details of alleged abuse suffered by Karolyn Pho, a stylist and former girlfriend of LaBeouf.
Qualley and LaBeouf’s relationship didn’t last long, though.
The two seemingly called it quits in January, as others came forward about their troubling brushes with actor, who has since parted ways with his talent agency, CAA, and reportedly started receiving inpatient treatment.
Twigs, who has yet to publicly acknowledge Qualley’s post, said that by sharing her story she hopes to “help people through my experience”.
In her Elle interview, the Cellophane singer further elaborated on LaBeouf’s alleged abuse, discussing the “calculated, systematic, tricky, and mazelike” tactics she said the actor used to control her.
“It’s a miracle I came out alive,” she said, adding that recovering from their relationship has “been the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do”.
“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.’ It’s none of that,” she continued.
“It’s pure luck that I’m not in that situation anymore.”
LaBeouf initially seemed to take responsibility for his actions, writing in a statement to The New York Times that he wasn’t in “any position to tell anyone how my behaviour made them feel” and had no excuses for what he called his “alcoholism or aggression”.
But LaBeouf’s legal team has since hit back at the singer’s claims in a response to her suit, stating that the actor “denies, generally and specifically, each and every allegation” made against him.
“It just reminds me of some of the gaslighting that I experienced when I was with him,” Twigs said of LaBeouf’s response in an interview with Gayle King last week.
“The sort of taking some of the blame, but not all of it, and then denying it.”
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact:
- The Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline, run by Refuge: 0808 2000 247
- In Scotland, contact Scotland’s 24 hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234
- In Northern Ireland, contact the 24 hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline: 0808 802 1414
- In Wales, contact the 24 hour Life Fear Free Helpline on 0808 80 10 800.
- National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
- Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327
- Respect helpline (for anyone worried about their own behaviour): 0808 802 0321