Shia LaBeouf Faces New Charges After Mardi Gras Arrest in New Orleans

The troubled actor has a history of controversies, including a lawsuit from ex-girlfriend FKA twigs and allegations of mistreating acting students.

Feb. 19, 2026 at 9:07am

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Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and is facing two counts of simple battery. This is the latest in a long line of controversies for the actor, who rose to fame as a child star on the Disney Channel. In 2020, his ex-girlfriend FKA twigs filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual battery, assault and emotional distress. LaBeouf has also faced numerous other arrests over the years, as well as allegations of mistreating acting students at his theater workshop.

Why it matters

LaBeouf's repeated legal troubles and allegations of abusive behavior have raised concerns about his mental health and the impact of his actions on those around him. The latest arrest during Mardi Gras continues a pattern of concerning behavior that has plagued the actor's career for over a decade.

The details

According to law enforcement sources, LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans in February 2026 and is facing two counts of simple battery. This comes after a tumultuous few years for the actor, including a 2020 lawsuit from ex-girlfriend FKA twigs accusing him of sexual battery, assault and emotional distress. LaBeouf has also faced numerous other arrests over the years, including incidents in New York, Georgia and California, often related to alcohol abuse and disorderly conduct. Most recently, the actor was accused of mistreating acting students at his Slauson Recreational Center Theater collective before it was abruptly dissolved in 2020.

  • In February 2026, LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
  • In December 2020, FKA twigs filed a lawsuit against LaBeouf, accusing him of sexual battery, assault and emotional distress.
  • In 2022, LaBeouf and his on-again, off-again partner Mia Goth welcomed their first child, a daughter named Isabel.

The players

Shia LaBeouf

An actor, filmmaker and performance artist who rose to fame as a child star on the Disney Channel and has since starred in numerous films, but has also faced a series of controversies and legal troubles.

FKA twigs

A musician who dated LaBeouf for about a year and filed a lawsuit against him in 2020 accusing him of sexual battery, assault and emotional distress during their relationship.

Mia Goth

LaBeouf's on-again, off-again partner, with whom he has a daughter born in 2022.

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What they’re saying

“I hurt that woman. And in the process of doing that, I hurt many other people, and many other people before that woman ... I was a pleasure-seeking, selfish, self-centered, dishonest, inconsiderate, fearful human being.”

— Shia LaBeouf

“When this thing comes out, it isn't any worse than what's been said about me previously. Maybe it reifies people's ideas about me. I think, at heart, I'm a good guy. Am I f---ed up? Yes. Is my process ugly and disgusting? Yes. Have I done horrible s--t in the past that I'm going to have to make amends for the rest of my life? Yes. Does this movie change any of that? No. Does it also allow my people to get a foot into this f---ing industry? Yes. So gas pedal down, green light go.”

— Shia LaBeouf

What’s next

The judge in the latest case will decide on Tuesday whether to allow LaBeouf to be released on bail.

The takeaway

LaBeouf's repeated legal troubles and allegations of abusive behavior have become a concerning pattern, raising questions about his mental health, the impact of his actions on those around him, and whether he will be able to make meaningful amends and change his behavior going forward.