How are actors supposed to react when a co-star they’ve shared intimate time with on a set faces difficult public accusations in their private lives? You might believe they’re inclined to stand up for the co-star that they have gotten to know through work. But when the accusations are very serious, and the details of the case remain unknown, it puts co-stars in an awkward situation of having to explain the man or woman they know from acting alongside them, and how that might not marry up with the image that’s being painted in headlines.
Shia LaBeouf knows his way around controversy. The actor has nabbed as many headlines for off-set antics and illegal behaviors as he has for his professional performances, which is unfortunate because he can be a talented actor when he wants to be. LaBeouf is part of a film that is getting Oscar heat as of late, Kornel Mundruczo’s Pieces of a Woman, and it was during a recent press stint with USA Today where Woman co-stars Ellen Burstyn and Vanessa Kirby were asked about the allegations leveled at Shia LaBeouf by his ex, singer-songwriter FKA Twigs.
Burstyn spoke first, stating:
He was always very respectful to me. I could feel him. He’s a tender person. There are other aspects to him, but I can feel his sensitivity. So, I liked working with him. I had only a good experience with him. And then the rest of his problems, I will leave to somebody else to talk about or deal with.
Vanessa Kirby plays Shia LaBeouf’s wife in Pieces of a Woman, and called the job “a professional experience” before quickly turning the conversation back around to the film, and the subject matter without going too deep into the allegations of physical and emotional abuse that has been levied at LaBeouf.
But Shia LaBeouf’s Pieces of a Woman director didn’t hold back, as Kornel Mundruczo told USA Today:
These are serious allegations, and they are hard to read. My heart was filled with sorrow and sadness to read all of the accounts. And I feel all humans should feel to come forward and tell their stories. And I stand with them.
The allegations filed by FKA Twigs in a lawsuit claim that Shia LaBeouf was abusive to her when the two were in a relationship in 2019. The singer accuses LaBeouf of sexual battery, assault and the infliction of emotional distress. The fallout from these accusations has continued to hang over LaBeouf’s career like a cloud. The For Your Consideration awards campaign on behalf of Pieces of a Woman removed Shia LaBeouf from its marketing. Olivia Wilde replaced LaBeouf on her new movie with Harry Styles. And the actor reportedly has sought long-term in-patient treatment for his demons.
We will continue to follow this story as it develops, and bring you the latest on FKA Twigs’ case, and the repercussions it has on Shia LaBeouf.
