FKA Twigs drops Shia LaBeouf lawsuit after being released from “unlawful” NDA

FKA Twigs has been released from an “unlawful” non-disclosure agreement by her ex-boyfriend Shia LaBeouf.

The singer, real name Tahliah Barnett, filed a lawsuit against the actor in 2020 accusing him of “relentless abuse” during their former relationship, including sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress. After a series of delays, the pair reached a settlement outside of court.

Earlier this year though, Twigs filed another lawsuit over an “unlawful” NDA which was designed to prevent her from “not just disclosing information about her own survival of sexual assault and sexual abuse” but also “discussing sexual assault and sexual abuse more generally and as an important topic of public concern”. According to Twigs’ lawyer Matthew Rosengart, the NDA is a violation of the STAND Act, which bans agreements designed to silence sexual assault victims from speaking out about their experiences.

In the filing, Rosengart explains that Twigs does not seek financial compensation and has nothing to gain from this case, either professionally or financially. “She files this action to right a wrong, and also on behalf of other women who are the victims of sexual and domestic violence who do not have the resources to speak out and defend themselves from predators”.

In 2025, LaBeouf reportedly tried to extract an “exorbitant” sum of money from Twigs after she allegedly broke the NDA by saying she didn’t feel “safe” following the out of court settlement with the actor.

On Tuesday (October 6) Twigs withdrew the lawsuit after LaBeouf agreed to terminate the NDA (via Rolling Stone).

“Twigs stood up for something larger than herself, all female survivors of sexual abuse,”Rosengart said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “After Mr. LaBeouf’s now-dismissed, failed December 2025 arbitration against Twigs, this important victory completely frees her to discuss her experience, advocate for other women who might be less privileged, and support the charitable causes of her choice.”

Twigs’ lawsuit also claimed that the 2025 settlement was done so LaBeouf could “avoid a public and embarrassing jury trial” as well as preventing him from “potentially enormous damages for his conduct.”

LaBeouf has frequently denied the allegations of abuse. “I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behaviour made them feel,” LaBeouf wrote in 2020. “I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalisations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years.

“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 say.” He added that “many of these allegations are not true”, but said that he owed the women “the opportunity to air their statements publicly and accept accountability for those things I have done”.

For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.