Yesterday, Sia released her new music video for 1000 Forms of Fear single “Elastic Heart”. Directed by the Australian pop singer and Daniel Askill, it featured actor Shia LaBeouf and child dancer Maddie Ziegler performing an intense interpretive dance routine within the confines of a cage. Less than 24 hours after the clip premiered online, however, it’s already stirred up much controversy with many viewers calling it “creepy,” inappropriate, and even suggestive of pedophilia.
Most of the negative critiques point to the physical contact between LaBeouf, 28, and Ziegler, 12, both half-dressed in tattered clothes. There are moments in the video when their bodies are entangled, some when she’s on his back, and others when they are lying beside one another.
Earlier this morning, Sia took to Twitter to address these concerns. “I anticipated some ‘pedophelia!!!’ Cries for this video,” she wrote. “All I can say is Maddie and Shia are two of the only actors I felt could play.” She added, “I apologise to those who feel triggered by #ElasticHeart My intention was to create some emotional content, not to upset anybody.”
