FKA Twigs Sues Shia LaBeouf to Invalidate NDA From Sexual Battery Settlement

The New Lawsuit

Singer-songwriter FKA Twigs — whose legal name is Tahliah Barnett — filed a new lawsuit against actor Shia LaBeouf on March 25, 2026, in Los Angeles Superior Court. The complaint, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, does not seek financial damages. It seeks a judicial declaration that nondisclosure agreement provisions in a July 2025 settlement between the two parties are illegal, unenforceable, and void under California law.

Barnett is represented by attorney Mathew Rosengart, who is best known for representing Britney Spears in her conservatorship case and whose other clients include Sean Penn, Steven Spielberg, and Michael Mann, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The filing states the case is "about justice and law, not money," and that Barnett filed the action "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," according to The Hollywood Reporter's account of the complaint.

Background: The Original 2020 Lawsuit and 2025 Settlement

Barnett originally sued LaBeouf in December 2020, accusing him of sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress during their relationship. According to The Hollywood Reporter's coverage of the original complaint, Barnett alleged LaBeouf engaged in a "continuous stream of verbal and mental abuse" that escalated to physical violence. One incident described in the complaint alleged LaBeouf slammed her against his car and strangled her; the complaint also noted he kept a loaded rifle by their bedside.

LaBeouf denied the specific allegations. In a statement to The New York Times at the time of the original filing, LaBeouf said: "I'm not in any 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. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I'm ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt."

The original lawsuit was settled in July 2025, two months before the case was scheduled to go to trial, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The terms of the settlement were not publicly disclosed at the time. As part of the settlement, the parties agreed to a nondisclosure agreement.

The Arbitration Demand That Triggered This Suit

The current legal dispute was triggered by a cover story published in The Hollywood Reporter. In the interview, Barnett was asked whether she felt a sense of safety with the lawsuit behind her. According to The Hollywood Reporter's account of the new lawsuit, her response was: "No, I wouldn't say I feel safe. I feel really passionate about being involved with organizations such as Sistah Space and No More, to help survivors in any way that I can. I think it's less about me at this point and more about looking forward. Just, you know, moving on with my life."

In December 2025, LaBeouf's legal team sent Barnett a secret arbitration demand, claiming her interview comments constituted a breach of the settlement's NDA terms, according to TMZ's account of the new complaint. The demand sought what Barnett's complaint describes as an "exorbitant" amount of money, according to TMZ.

Barnett's attorney Rosengart argued the NDA provisions were illegal and should not be enforced. In February 2026, LaBeouf agreed to drop the arbitration demand, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, Barnett subsequently filed the new lawsuit seeking a formal court ruling to prevent similar action in the future.

The Legal Question: Does the STAND Act Apply?

California's STAND Act — the Stand Together Against Non-Disclosures Act — prohibits NDA provisions in settlements involving sexual assault, sexual discrimination, and sexual harassment that do not rise to the level of felony prosecutions. The law was enacted in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement to deter wealthy and powerful individuals from using secret settlements to conceal sexual misconduct, according to The Hollywood Reporter's description of the legal framework.

California also passed a 2016 law barring settlement terms that prevent the disclosure of factual information about sex offenses that could be prosecuted as felonies, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The central dispute between the parties hinges on whether the STAND Act applies to Barnett's original claims. LaBeouf's attorney argued in response to the arbitration demand that the STAND Act does not apply because Barnett's 2020 complaint brought a claim for sexual battery, not sexual assault, according to The Hollywood Reporter's account of the new lawsuit.

Barnett's complaint rejects this reasoning. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the complaint states: "LaBeouf's preposterous argument should offend every citizen of California. In addition to defying common sense, it is also legally-erroneous because assault is a precondition of battery."

The new complaint also alleges the NDA was drafted broadly enough to restrict Barnett "not only from disclosing information about the acts relating to her own experience of sexual abuse but also from discussing the issue in general terms," according to The Hollywood Reporter. It characterizes LaBeouf's enforcement efforts as a "campaign of intimidation and abuse of the legal system," according to TMZ's account of the filing.

LaBeouf's Concurrent Legal Troubles

The new lawsuit was filed as LaBeouf faces separate criminal charges in Louisiana. He was arrested on February 17, 2026, and charged with two counts of simple battery following an altercation at a bar in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, according to The Guardian. A third battery charge was added on February 27, 2026, according to The Guardian, after a new warrant accused him of having head-butted an additional person during the same incident.

At a February 26 court appearance, New Orleans Criminal District Court Judge Simone Levine set a $100,000 bond and ordered LaBeouf to undergo drug testing and enroll in substance abuse treatment, according to The Guardian. Levine also condemned LaBeouf's alleged use of a homophobic slur during the incident, according to Metro UK's reporting on the hearing.

LaBeouf posted a total of $105,000 in bail across the two hearings, according to reporting by the Daily Mail citing The Guardian.

Additionally, TMZ reported on March 26, 2026, that LaBeouf has been involved in disturbances at the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club near his home, with club management issuing a notice to members asking them not to engage with "a new neighboring resident whose continued outbursts have affected the club environment." TMZ reported that sources identified LaBeouf as the resident in question. The New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club had no comment when contacted by TMZ.

Scope and Implications

The FKA Twigs lawsuit is notable for what it does not request. Unlike the original 2020 suit, the new complaint seeks no monetary compensation. It asks only for a court order invalidating the NDA provisions and blocking LaBeouf from attempting to enforce them, according to both The Hollywood Reporter and the A.V. Club's reporting on the complaint.

The A.V. Club noted that the lawsuit explicitly situates itself beyond Barnett's individual circumstances, with her legal team stating she filed it "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."

If a court rules in Barnett's favor, the decision would affirm that NDA provisions of the type included in the LaBeouf settlement cannot be used to prevent sexual abuse survivors from speaking about their experiences in general terms — and cannot be weaponized through subsequent arbitration demands as a tool for financial intimidation.

LaBeouf's legal team did not provide a public comment on the new filing as of the time of publication.