Shia LaBeouf has been arrested after becoming involved in a fight that unfolded during Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans.
Overnight it was reported that the American actor, 39, had been generating plenty of attention for a bar crawl throughout the city’s French Quarter, which has lasted for several days.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, employees at a string of bars claimed that he turned up to one shirtless and without any cash, was ‘inebriated’ and even dropped the ‘do you know who I am?’ line to some staff members. He was also described as acting ‘somewhat belligerent’.
Another then declared that he was ‘terrorising the city’.
According to court records, TMZ has now reported he’s been arrested and is facing two charges of simple battery.
This came after footage and photos showed LeBeouf in the aftermath of an alleged physical altercation that occurred just after midnight on Tuesday outside of a bar.
In one photo, he was seen from behind shirtless with his back tattoo on full display outside the saloon as he confronted a group of people.
He was also filmed leaning into a man while trying to talk to him on the street.
An eyewitness told the publication that LeBeouf was escorted out of the bar by staff for an unknown reason before getting into a brawl.
Afterward, he walked down the block but then looped back around to the front of the bar, where responding paramedics treated him, according to the witness.
Although he didn’t look physically harmed, he was then spotted receiving medical attention whilst chatting to emergency service workers, before being loaded into a parked ambulance with its lights flashing.
LaBeouf has not publicly commented on what has been unfolding, however the actor posted a selfie of himself wearing Mardi Gras beads on his X account.
Mardi Gras officially kicks off today with ‘Fat Tuesday’, however celebrations usually take place in the days leading up to it.
LeBeouf has a well-known history of addiction and mental health struggles.
In 2014 he was arrested in New York City and charged disorderly conduct, harassment, and criminal trespass after causing a scene at the Studio 54 theatre. Soon after this incident, he sought outpatient treatment for alcoholism. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, while the trespassing and harassment charges were dropped.
Three years later he was then arrested in Savannah, Georgia, for public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and obstruction Bodycam footage showed him making ‘profanity-laced racial remarks’ towards police officers during his arrest. The actor later blamed his actions on his alcohol addiction. In regard to this incident, he was found guilty of obstruction but not guilty of public intoxication. He was sentenced to probation for one year and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine as well as seek therapy to manage his anger and substance use issues.
In 2020 he was also charged with misdemeanour battery and petty theft for his involvement in an altercation with a man. He pleaded not guilty and, after taking part in a diversion program, had his charges dropped.
That same year he was sued by his ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs for sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress. Soon after LeBeouf admitted he’d been ‘abusive’ to himself and those around him ‘for years’, adding that he was ‘ashamed and sorry to those he hurt’.
However he denied the allegations detailed in the lawsuit filed by the British singer, which had been due to go to trial, but was then settled on undisclosed terms.
Two years later he said during a podcast interview that he’d ‘hurt that woman’. ‘I was a pleasure-seeking, selfish, self-centered, dishonest, inconsiderate, fearful human being,’ he said.
The fallout of this lawsuit saw LeBeouf removed from Netflix from its awards campaign for Pieces of a Woman, while he was also fired by Olivia Wilde from her film Don’t Worry Darling for ‘combative energy’, which also left actress Florence Pugh uncomfortable with his behaviour.
Last year, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor had discussed becoming sober, crediting actors Mel Gibson, Sean Penn, and Josh Brolin with helping him start his journey.
‘Big respect, big love. He’s always been very lovely to me,’ he said of Gibson, who also introduced him to traditional Latin Mass services while researching his film Padre Pio. LeBeouf eventually converted to Catholicism.
‘He held my hand when I was really s***ing on myself. Dude really stepped up for me in big ways,’ he told The Hollywood Reporter of their friendship, adding they were still ‘very close’.
‘Him, Sean Penn, James Brolin – these guys got me to sobriety. They got around me and kept me alive,’ he went on.
‘There was a bunch of guys that I looked up to that just started popping up. I had never, ever felt that kind of love – not like that.’
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.