Shia LaBeouf says he’s scared of ‘big gay people’ in response to alleged homophobic slurs

Transformers actor Shia LaBeouf has attempted to defend his alleged use of homophobic slurs in a bizarre interview following his arrest for battery.

LaBeouf was arrested during Mardi Gras celebrations on 18 February on suspicion of two counts of simple battery. The following day, two victims came forward to claim that the 39-year-old actor hurled homophobic slurs at them prior to the alleged assault.

Addressing the incident in a lengthy interview with online outlet Channel 5, published on 28 February, the star claimed that “big gay people are scary” to him.

“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 said.

During the incident in New Orleans in February, LaBeouf is alleged to have called two men – one who is queer, and one who had spent the day celebrating in drag – the homophobic slur “f*****”.

One of the alleged victims Jeffrey Damnit said in interviews following LaBeouf’s arrest that he had been attempting to assist a bar manager with escorting the actor out of the premises when the scuffle ensued, and Damnit was struck in the torso.

According to LaBeouf’s version of events, the actor “felt infringed upon” during the encounter.

“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,” he said, before appearing to acknowledge that he had used offensive 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 told interviewer Andrew Callaghan.

“I am wrong for touching anyone. Ever. And that’s the end of my statement on this whole s***.”

The actor appeared to suggest that he didn’t want to be too close to a gay person.

“I’m good with gay — be gay over there, though,” he said. “Don’t be gay in my lap.”

He reaffirmed that he was intoxicated during the incident, which he said led him to say “nonsense”.

“That’s why. I was drunk and it’s Mardi Gras. So everything I’m saying is nonsense.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the actor shared his stance on homosexuality as a “traditional Catholic”.

“I know I’m f****** deep off into the Bible. I know what the Bible says… about homosexuality,” he said. Questioned by Callaghan on what the book states, the actor simply responded: “Nah.”

“That’s what it says?” the journalist questioned, with LaBeouf replying: “Yeah.”

Callaghan argued that the Bible had been “written a really long time ago”, before the actor rebutted him. “Bro, you can do whatever you want with the text. It’s not my business. I’m a traditional Catholic. That’s OK… I really f*** with the Bible.”

The actor agreed that his behaviour during the Mardi Gras incident was “b*******” and that he has “gotta deal with” it. “Does that mean I gotta go to rehab again? I’m just not into it, bro,” he said.

On Thursday, LaBeouf was ordered by a judge in New Orleans to go back to rehab. According to the Even Stevens star though, he believes his biggest issue is his “small man complex”.

“I don’t think my answers are [in rehab]. I don’t. I really, genuinely, don’t. If I genuinely did, I’d go. I don’t think I have a different problem,” he said, adding: “I think I have a small man complex.”

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