Shia LaBeouf is attributing his arrest in New Orleans last week to his fear of “big gay people.”
In an interview with YouTuber Andrew Callaghan released on Saturday, the 39-year-old actor shared what he said led to his arrest amid the city’s Mardi Gras celebrations.
“When I’m standing by myself and three gays are next to me touching my leg, I get scared,” he said. “I’m sorry. If that’s homophobic, then I’m that. Yeah.”
“I’ll be honest with you, big gay people are scary to me,” LaBeouf added.
A representative for LaBeouf did not immediately return a request for comment.
The actor, best known for his starring role in “Transformers” and the Disney Channel’s “Even Stevens,” was arrested in New Orleans last week and accused of hitting two people outside of a Royal Street business amid the celebrations, according to police.
“LaBeouf then reportedly assaulted another person — punching him in the nose,” police said in a statement last week. “LaBeouf was again held down until police arrived.”
It is unclear what exactly led to the incident.
But in the interview with Callaghan, the actor appeared to suggest he had an altercation with a gay person or was annoyed by gay people’s presence near him.
“I’m good with gay — be gay over there, though,” he said. “Don’t be gay in my lap.”
“That’s why. I was drunk and it’s Mardi Gras. So everything I’m saying is nonsense,” he added.
LaBeouf was arrested upon his release from the hospital that day for treatment “of unknown injuries.” He was charged with two counts of simple battery, according authorities.
Last week’s was not his first run-in with the law, nor were his latest comments his first bigoted remarks.
LaBeouf was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of public drunkenness, The Associated Press reported. LaBeouf made racist remarks to police upon his arrest, the AP reported. The actor later apologized, citing his addiction as a struggle, and the public drunkenness allegations were dropped.
He was sued in 2020 by his ex-partner, British singer FKA Twigs, who accused him choking her and knowingly giving her a sexually transmitted disease. The case was settled out of court last year.