Shia LaBeouf stirs controversy with candid remarks about gay men in a recent interview, following his arrest during Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans.
The Arrest Incident
Authorities arrested the 39-year-old actor in the early hours of Fat Tuesday on two counts of simple battery after an altercation at a bar in the Marigny area near the French Quarter. Police reports identify two victims: Jeffrey ‘Damnit’ Klein and Nathan Thomas Reed.
Klein, dressed in drag for the festivities, claims LaBeouf shouted a homophobic slur and attempted to confront him physically. Cellphone footage shows the actor in an emergency vehicle glancing at Klein and repeating the slur, with Klein responding, ‘Keep on calling me [slur].’ Reed confirms via text that he faced the same language repeatedly.
Images from the scene depict LaBeouf restrained on the ground. Witnesses at nearby bars describe him arriving shirtless, without cash, appearing intoxicated, and repeatedly asking, ‘Do you know who I am?’ while acting belligerent.
Key Interview Moments
The interview, recorded on February 24 with Andrew Callaghan and released on February 28, lasts an hour. LaBeouf reflects on the event, stating, ‘Big gay people are scary to me. When I’m standing by myself and three gay dudes are next to me, touching my leg, I get scared. I’m sorry. If that’s homophobic then I’m that.’
He adds, ‘I was drunk and then I felt infringed upon in terms of my proximity. But I wasn’t in my right mind, and so it’s on me.’ LaBeouf acknowledges his language: ‘I said words not ok to say. I don’t want to hurt nobody’s feelings… I’m wrong for what I did.’ He tells Callaghan directly, ‘I was wrong.’
Addressing sexuality, he remarks, ‘I’m good with gay. Be gay over there though. Don’t be gay in my lap.’
Personal Background and Move
LaBeouf relocated to New Orleans after the Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025, drawn by family roots. His paternal grandmother was a lesbian who married a man as a ‘beard’ to hide her sexuality; the family surname changed from LeBoeuf after she faced disownment.
He briefly discusses his marriage breakdown with actress Mia Goth, mother of their daughter Isabel, turning four in March. ‘It’s not new heartbreak. I don’t want to talk too much about it. It’s not my story alone to tell, but my side is I failed my marriage, so I had to own up to that. So that’s why I moved out here,’ he says.
Legal Aftermath
LaBeouf posted a $100,000 bond following a court appearance. Court orders require him to enter rehab and submit to regular drug and alcohol testing.
His comments have sparked online criticism amid heightened scrutiny over the arrest.
