Shia LaBeouf's Pieces of a Woman Costar Vanessa Kirby Reacts to Abuse Allegations Against Him
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Shia LaBeouf's Pieces of a Woman Costar Vanessa Kirby Reacts to Abuse Allegations Against Him
Shia LaBeouf was sued by ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs for sexual and physical assault
Vanessa Kirby has addressed the allegations against her Pieces of a Woman costar Shia LaBeouf.
The actress released a statement to The Times of London reacting to the lawsuit filed by singer FKA twigs, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, against LaBeouf. Barnett sued LaBeouf, her ex-boyfriend, for sexual and physical assault, according to the lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE.
“I stand with all survivors of abuse and respect the courage of anyone who speaks their truth. Regarding the recent news, I can’t comment on an ongoing legal case," Kirby said in her statement, via U.K.'s The Independent.
Last month, Netflix removed LaBeouf from its award consideration page for the upcoming film, which lands on the streamer on January 7.
LaBeouf's name has been omitted from the streaming site's For Your Consideration page for the film, including the movie summary, movie stills and from any award consideration after he was sued by Barnett.
Kirby, however, is being pushed for best actress consideration.
Netflix Shia LaBeouf and Vanessa Kirby
The film follows Martha (Kirby) and Sean (LaBeouf) as they excitedly prepare for the birth of their first child. Tragedy strikes when Martha loses the baby during an at-home birth and pursues litigation against her midwife (Molly Parker), while she tries to repair her relationships with Sean and her domineering mother (Ellen Burstyn).
Kirby has been earning critical acclaim for her portrayal as a grieving mother, winning the Volpi Cup for best actress at the 2020 Venice Film Festival in September. The movie also won the prize for best film at the festival.
Benjamin Loeb / Netflix Shia LaBeouf and Vanessa Kirby in Pieces of a Woman
In Barnett's lawsuit, the singer said LaBeouf would squeeze her arm to "the point of bruising" and didn't go to police at first to not harm his career and because she "thought her account would not be taken seriously."
She also described several instances of physical aggression from the actor, including the day she attempted to move out when he carried her and locked her in a room at his home, also recounted in the lawsuit since obtained by PEOPLE.
LaBeouf addressed the allegations in several emails to The New York Times saying that "many" of the allegations against him were untrue, while adding that he was in no position "to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel."
"I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years," he wrote to the newspaper. "I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I'm ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say."
RELATED: FKA Twigs Says 'It Was Hard' to Process Her Alleged 'Abusive' Relationship with Shia LaBeouf
While a rep for LaBeouf did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment, Barnett's attorney Bryan Freedman reiterated the allegations of abuse.
"We tried to resolve this matter privately on the condition that Mr. LaBeouf agree to receive meaningful and consistent psychological treatment," he told PEOPLE. "Since he was unwilling to agree to get appropriate help, Ms. Barnett filed this suit to prevent others from unknowingly suffering similar abuse by him."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
