Margaret Qualley on FKA Twigs' Allegations Against Ex Shia LaBeouf: 'I Believe Her'

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Margaret Qualley is standing in support with FKA Twigs.

The actress, 26, who features on the cover of October's Harper's Bazaar's issue, addressed the allegations of abuse Twigs, 33, came forward with against her ex Shia Labeouf, whom Qualley also dated briefly.

Qualley offered her support to Twigs — telling the magazine, "I believe her" — during a conversation about her upcoming role in Netflix's Maid as a character who must endure emotional abuse.

When asked how Qualley prepared for the part, she replied, "Unfortunately, it's so common," adding, "And it's true that more than half of people experience some level of psychological threat within a relationship in their lifetime. I just did my best to read the script and experience Alex's reality as much as possible within the scenes."

Deirdre Lewis

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As the magazine points out, Qualley was dating Labeouf, 35, while filming Maid. She later split with him in January, weeks after Twigs filed a lawsuit against the actor, accusing him of sexually and physically assaulting and battering her.

When Twigs shared her story of abuse with Elle in February, Qualley reposted an image of the magazine cover on Instagram, writing in the caption, "Thank you." When asked by Harper's Bazaar why she shared the photo, Qualley said it was to show she believed Twigs' accusations against their ex.

Deirdre Lewis

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"It was important to me for her to know that I believe her—and it's as simple as that," Qualley told Harper's Bazaar, adding that she did not want to discuss her personal life, but that she expected questions about her relationship with LaBeouf because of her Maid role.

Twigs filed a lawsuit against LaBeouf in December 2020, accusing him of "relentless abuse" in court documents. In an interview with The New York Times, the musician called her experience with LaBeouf "the worst thing I've ever been through in the whole of my life."

She added, "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."

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LaBeouf, who split with his talent agency and took a hiatus from acting after entering inpatient treatment earlier this year, denied "each and every allegation" brought against him by Twigs in a response to her suit filed in February.

At the time, LaBeouf's legal team stated to PEOPLE that the actor "denies, generally and specifically, each and every allegation contained in [Barnett]'s Complaint, denies that [Barnett] has sustained any injury or loss by reason of any act or omission on the part of [LaBeouf], and denies that [Barnett] is entitled to any relief or damages whatsoever."

LaBeouf was recently ordered by a judge in May to complete a 12-month judicial diversion program for a separate incident that occured in October 2020, in which he allegedly used force and violence against Tyler Murphy and was later charged with one count of misdemeanor battery and one count of misdemeanor theft.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.