Margaret Qualley
Credit: Getty

It feels wrong to be writing about Shia LaBeouf’s dating life right now. Last week, FKA Twigs came forward with allegations of abuse against the actor, which she says took place over the course of their nearly year-long relationship. The British singer accused LaBeouf of relentless abuse, which was both emotional and physical, saying that he strangled her, threatened her and isolated her from her support network. 

But it also feels a bit off to ignore that just one week after Twigs’ law-suit was filed, LaBeouf is going public with his relationship to Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood actress Margaret Qualley. 

I’ve been following Qualley since her breakout role in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film, watching her document quarantine with her family and post choreographed socially distanced dance parties with fellow cute actress Kaitlyn Dever. But somehow I completely missed that she’s quietly been dating LaBeouf for at least three months now.

The pair likely met on the set of the short choreographed video, Love Me Like You Hate Me, made to a song released by Margaret’s sister, Rainey Qualley, whose stage name is Rainsford. 

Credit: Instagram / @rainsford

The nine-minute video, which was released in October, shows Qualley and LaBeouf playing a couple who go through an intense and emotional relationship. Rainey explained the clip on Instagram, writing, “It’s filled with love and pain and tenderness and rage and real pieces of my heart.”

Though neither LaBeouf or Qualley have confirmed their relationship, over the weekend the 34-year-old actor was spotted picking up Qualley from LAX, where they passionately kissed upon meeting, before getting into his car and pausing for another makeout session. 

Of course, Qualley is a grown woman and can make her own choices. But given that another of LaBeouf’s ex-girlfriends, Karolyn Pho, added her own abuse accusations to Twigs’, singer Sia later added her own story on social media, and LaBeouf’s ex-wife Mia Goth was reportedly in talks to join the lawsuit, it’s only natural that people would worry about how this is going to go. Let’s just hope that LaBeouf is getting the help he needs.