Shia LaBeouf Says ’Gay People Are Scary to Me’ When Discussing Recent Mardi Gras Arrest

Over a week after the New Orleans bar fight that led to his arrest, Shia LaBeouf sat down with YouTuber Andrew Callaghan for a wide-ranging interview.

When discussing the February 17 altercation, the Transformers star, 39, said, “I'll be honest with you, big gay people are scary to me. When I'm like, 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.”

Police allege that LaBeouf hit multiple people and used homophobic slurs during the brawl. On Friday, February 27, another warrant was issued for his arrest for an additional charge of battery stemming from the same incident. LaBeouf turned himself in to the New Orleans Parish jail the next day.

In the interview, LaBeouf elaborated on his views on homosexuality, saying both that he is “good with gay” and has “never been adversarial towards it,” but also that he is a “traditional Catholic.”

“I'm deep off into the bible. I know what the bible says about homosexuality. Nah,” he said. “I'm in a full on love affair with Jesus.”

LaBeouf also stated that he does not believe he has a drinking problem. “I think I have a different problem. And I'm going to address it. I think I have a small man complex. Some kind of Napoleonic—I don't know what it is. I think it is something that has to do with anger and ego moreso than my drinking. But that's where I'm at now on my journey and I'm trying to navigate it. I'll figure it out”