Yesterday evening, The Hollywood Reporter shared what initially appeared to be a somewhat humorous piece about Transformers star Shia LaBeouf's recent visit to New Orleans during the city's Mardi Gras celebrations.
The actor has suffered from alcoholism in the past, and previously blamed that for reportedly abusing ex-girlfriend, FKA Twigs. One bartender anonymously told the trade that LaBeouf is "terrorising the city," but things have now taken a more serious turn.
According to TMZ (via SFFGazette.com), the actor has been involved in a fight that saw paramedics called to the scene, where he was soon arrested. The alleged physical altercation took place just after midnight this morning outside a bar in the French Quarter.
The gossip side has obtained court records, revealing that LaBeouf is now facing two charges of simple battery. According to Louisiana law, w hoever commits a simple battery shall be fined not more than $1000 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
An eyewitness told them, "Shia was escorted out of the bar by staff for some reason before getting into a brawl. Afterwards, Shia walked down the block, but then looped back around to the front of the bar, where responding paramedics treated Shia, according to the witness."
LaBeouf's well-publicised history of addiction and mental health struggles saw him enter court-mandated rehab after a 2017 arrest in Savannah, Georgia, for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. He's previously blamed his struggles on untreated trauma and PTSD from childhood.
The actor, who starred in Michael Bay's Transformers movies and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, said in 2018 that he regretted criticising the filmmakers. However, he also doubled down on his disdain for Bay's sci-fi series.
"My hang-up with those films was that they felt irrelevant. They felt dated as f***," he stated. "You come up on these stories about 'Easy Rider' and 'Raging Bull' and De Niro and Scorsese and Hopper, and you find value in what they do. Meanwhile, you’re chasing energon crystals. It’s very hard to keep doing what you’re doing when you feel like it’s the antithesis of your purpose on this planet."
It's clear that LaBeouf, who is married to Frankenstein and Star Wars: Starfighter star Mia Goth, is going through something pretty serious following this alleged bar brawl. Hopefully, he can get the help he needs in the coming months.