Both LaBeouf and FKA appeared in the 2019 film.
Alma Har'el is speaking out following FKA twigs' claims of "relentless abuse" against Shia LaBeouf. Har'el directed the 2019 film Honey Boy, which starred both FKA and LaBeouf, who also wrote the film based on his contentious relationship with his father.
During the making of the movie was when FKA met LaBeouf and began a year-long relationship with him. LaBeouf told The New York Times in an email that "many of these allegations are not true."
"I have a deep respect for FKA Twigs' courage and resilience. Reading what she endured left me heartbroken and I stand with her in solidarity," Har'el said in a statement to ET. "I’m sending my love to her, Karolyn Pho, all victims of domestic violence, and everyone who is trying to stop cycles of abuse."
Har'el continued, "As a filmmaker and an artist, I am drawn to stories that help us develop empathy for the messy parts of the human condition. Like many of Shia’s collaborators and fans who battled substance abuse, suffered childhood trauma, and face mental illness, I am painfully aware of my past investment in his recovery. I want to send a clear message today that none of the above should excuse, minimize, or rationalize domestic violence.
"I’m grateful that survivors of childhood trauma have seen some aspects of themselves in Honey Boy and might feel less alone in their pain," Har'el continued. "I hope that they don’t take these events as a discouraging moment in their own recovery."
"I will be donating in Twigs’ and Karolyn Pho’s names to FreeFrom, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and Sistah Space," Har'el concluded. "I support and encourage victims in similar situations to speak up and seek help so they can create a path to safety and the healthy relationship they deserve.”
Har'el's statement comes the same month ET confirmed that FKA filed a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend accusing him of "relentless abuse," including sexual battery, assault and infliction of emotional distress. Karolyn Pho, a stylist who previously dated LaBeouf, also accused her of abusive behavior in the lawsuit, according to The New York Times.
"I'd like to be able to raise awareness on the tactics that abusers use to control you and take away your agency," FKA told the outlet of why she filed the lawsuit.
In an email statement to the outlet, LaBeouf wrote that he's "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," he wrote. "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."
"I am not cured of my PTSD and alcoholism," he continued, noting he's in therapy and a sober member of a 12-step program. "But I am committed to doing what I need to do to recover, and I will forever be sorry to the people that I may have harmed along the way."
The singer told The Times that she plans to donate a big part of any monetary damages she receives from the lawsuit to domestic violence charities.
"What I went through with Shia was the worst thing I've ever been through in the whole of my life," she said. "I don't think people would ever think that it would happen to me. But I think that's the thing. It can happen to anybody."
If you or someone you know is 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.
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