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Shia LaBeouf cast in Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis ahead of FKA Twigs abuse trial

1 September 2022, 18:03

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By Woodrow Whyte

Shia LaBeouf is joining the film after being blacklisted from many projects across Hollywood following the abuse claims from his ex-girlfriend.

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Shia LaBeouf has landed a role in Francis Ford Coppola’s upcoming film Megalopolis, amid his upcoming trial, after being sued by former partner FKA Twigs.

The 36-year-old is being sued by former girlfriend Twigs for “relentless abuse”, including allegations of sexual battery, assault and infliction of emotional distress.

In response, the actor has denied causing twigs “any injury or loss”, saying that she is not “entitled to any relief or damages whatsoever”. The case is due for trial on April 17, 2023.

The controversial actor has been cast in the film alongside co-stars Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Grace Vanderwaal, Kathryn Hunter, and James Remar, with production of the film set to start later this year.

Shia is joining the film after being blacklisted from many projects across Hollywood following the abuse claims from his ex-girlfriend, which include alleged multiple incidents of physical abuse during the couple’s one-year relationship in 2018 and 2019.

After the allegations broke, the actor apologised, left his management agency and reportedly entered treatment for his issues.

Speaking to the New York Times in 2020, he said: “I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behaviour 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. There is nothing else I can really say.”

Since the allegations, the Transformers star hasn’t appeared in a Hollywood role. However, he’s set to appear in Abel Ferrara’s Padre Pio, which will debut at the Venice Film Festival this year.

It comes after the star set the record straight about his film Honey Boy, saying that he “wronged” his father during his portrayal of him in the film.

The actor wrote and starred in the 2019 film, which was based on his relationship with his father Jeffrey Craig LaBeouf, and earlier this week Shia revealed that he exaggerated elements in the film's script to fit a narrative that would cast him in a positive light.

Shia LaBeouf - 23rd Annual Hollywood Film Awards - Red Carpet. Picture: Getty

Speaking on Jon Bernthal's Real Ones podcast, he explained: “I wrote this narrative which was just f***ing nonsense. My dad was so loving to me my whole life. Fractures? Sure. Crooked? Sure. Wonky? For sure, but never was not loving, never was not there. He was always there.”

"And I'd done a world press tour about how f***ing he was as a man. Honey Boy is basically like a big 'woe is me' story about how f***ing my father is and I wronged him."

Shia claims on the podcast that he "turned the knob up on certain shit that wasn't real" within the movie's storyline.

"My dad never hit me. Never. He spanked me once. One time," he admitted. "And the story that gets painted in Honey Boy is like this dude was abusing his kid all the time."