Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
FKA Twigs, named Tahliah Barnett, had filed a new lawsuit against Shia LeBeouf, claiming the actor is silencing her from speaking out on issues related to sexual violence and her own alleged sexual abuse during their relationship. October 6th sees Barnett dropping the latest lawsuit after the actor agreed to void an NDA that stopped her from discussing the alleged sexual abuse. Pitchfork‘s report tells us that Barnett’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, stated “Twigs stood up for something larger than herself, female survivors of sexual abuse.”
Rosengart stated the NDA was “unlawful”. This NDA was meant to prevent “Ms. Barnett not just from disclosing information about her own survival of sexual assault and sexual abuse but…from discussing sexual assault and sexual abuse more generally and as an important topic of public concern.” California’s STAND Act contains language that forbids anyone from reaching agreements that silence sexual assault survivors.
Barnett had sued the actor in 2020, with accusations of physical, sexual and mental abuse that went on for months. The jury trial was meant to start in September 2025, but an agreement was reached between the two parties. A 2025 report from Pitchfork states “committed to forging a constructive path forward, we have agreed to settle our case out of court.” A statement made on behalf of the parties by their respective legal teams.
Barnett received an arbitration demand in December 2025, claiming a breach of contract following their initial settlement, however the arbitration was dismissed. Barnett sought out justice for the silencing nature of the NDA. Such a binding prevented her from using her platform to keep others safe from similar situations and to spread awareness. According to Pitchfork, Rosengart stated that “Ms. Barnett…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.”
