The Hollywood star Kevin Costner has been hit with a truly shocking lawsuit. Indeed, he’s being sued by a stuntwoman in his movie Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.
Costner Hit With Lawsuit
Devyn LaBella was the lead stunt double for Horizon 2 star Ella Hunt. LaBella is alleging that she was forced “to perform an unscripted rape scene without proper notice, consent or the mandatory presence of an intimacy coordinator,” according to Fox News.
LaBella filed her complaint on Tuesday in the Superior Court of California for Los Angeles County. She is suing Costner, 70, and his various production companies for sexual harassment and sexual discrimination. She’s also suing them for the creation of a hostile workplace environment and retaliation.
“On May 2, 2023, plaintiff Devyn LaBella, a female stunt performer, was the victim of a violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene directed by Kevin Costner,” the lawsuit alleged.
“The impact of this impromptu work demand on Ms. Labella has been profound, not only upending a career Ms. Labella spent years building but leaving her with permanent trauma that she will be required to address for years to come,” it continued.
LaBella has requested a trial by jury. She is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
LaBella’s Claims
LaBella was hired as Hunt’s stunt double under a SAG agreement. Her contract stated that she was hired to stand in for Hunt “during physical scenes,” including performing stunts.
According to LaBella’s complaint, SAG does not allow “any last minute requests for nudity or simulated sex.” Producers must also give 48 hours notice and get permission from the performers involved before changing intimate scenes. Hunt’s SAG contract additionally required her to have a “coordinator for all intimacy scenes.”
LaBella began working on the Horizon 2 set in Utah in the spring of 2023. She performed her job there for “several weeks without incident.”
Then came the day that LaBella was informed that she’d be stepping in as a double. She was told that it would be for “a scripted, aggressive and intimate rape scene.” The scene in question involved Hunt’s character Juliette and actor Douglas Smith’s character Sig.
The scene was filmed on May 1, 2023. According to LaBella’s lawsuit, it “wrapped” with “no issues.”
The next day, however, LaBella was on the set for a “non-intimate scene” as Hunt’s stunt double. There, Costner allegedly added a scene involving a second actor, Roger Ivens. LaBella alleges that Costner instructed Ivens to “climb on top of Ms. Hunt, violently raking up her skirt.” The stunt double claims that this scene was not on the call sheet for that day.
“Due to the ad hoc and violent nature of the sudden script change request, along with the failure to secure a contractually required intimacy coordinator for the scene, Ms. Hunt became visibly upset and walked off the set, refusing to do the scene,” LaBella’s lawsuit alleged.
Costner Asks LaBella To ‘Stand In’
Once Hunt was off the set, LaBella claims that Costner asked her to be a “stand in” for the actress. He allegedly did this “without proper notice, consent, preparation, or appropriate safeguard measures in place, such as the project’s intimacy coordinator being called in.”
LaBella alleges that she did not know that Hunt had left the set after refusing to perform the scene. The set also was reportedly not closed.
“Unlike the shots from the previous day, which were limited to just the actors involved engaging in a choreographed situation with a stunt coordinator, an intimacy coordinator and some of lead production personnel present and all nonessential production people excluded, on May 2, the entire experience was broadcast over monitors,” the lawsuit states.
“Further increasing confusion and stress for Ms. LaBella, the scene on May 2nd had no clear direction of when the scene began or ended. Defendant Costner failed to announce or to consistently announce ‘action’ at the beginning or ‘cut’ at the end of a shoot,” the documents allege. “After the action had already begun, there was no time or space to process or reject the direction that was given.”
Related: Kevin Costner Breaks His Silence – Finally Addresses ‘Horizon’ Bombing At The Box Office
LaBella’s Alleged Trauma
Once the filming of the scene finally ended, LaBella “experienced shock, embarrassment and humiliation while attempting to process the situation.” She recalls “sudden bouts of crying on and off set” in the subsequent days. LaBella even “broke down in the hair trailer” at one point.
“However, the situation on the set upon her return was very awkward,” her lawsuit alleged. “The production team was now extra careful around Ms. LaBella. She was directed to stay alone in her trailer and not be present on set, even though this resulted in her being dressed in costume for full days and then not used.”
“Multiple people apologized to her over the course of days and made excuses for Director Costner, all of which made her feel even more uncomfortable,” the documents added.
LaBella has since entered therapy to deal with the alleged trauma of this experience.
“On that day, I was left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism,” LaBella told People Magazine. “What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry.”
“As I continue performing and step into my journey of stunt coordination, I operate with a fierce commitment to upholding the highest standards, creating sets where safety, communication, and consent are non-negotiable,” she continued. “This experience has ignited in me a lifelong mission to be the advocate I once needed, ensuring no one else is ever left as vulnerable as I was.”
Costner Fires Back
Costner, however, has denied LaBella’s claims through Marty Singer, his attorney.
“Our client, Kevin Costner, always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously,” Singer began. “However, this claim by Devyn LaBella has absolutely no merit. It is completely contradicted by her own actions – and the facts.”
Singer went on to describe LaBella as “a serial accuser of people in the entertainment industry. But those shakedown tactics won’t work in this case.
“As a stunt performer on Horizon 2, the scene in question was explained to Ms. LaBella, and after she performed the rehearsal in character with another actor, she gave her Stunt Coordinator supervisor a ‘thumbs up’ and indicated her willingness to then shoot the scene, if needed (which she was not),” Singer stated.
“That night, Ms. LaBella had dinner with her supervisor, the stunt coordinator, and with the assistant stunt coordinator, and she was in good spirits and made no complaints to them,” he added. “She continued to work on the movie for a few more weeks until her wrap date, and she took the stunt coordinator to a thank-you dinner.”
LaBella’s Alleged Text Message
Singer also released a text message that LaBella allegedly sent to her stunt supervisor Wade Allen. The attorney pointed out that the text was “illustrated with happy heart emojis.”
“Thank you for these wonderful weeks!” the text in question read. “I so appreciate you! I learned so much and thank you again. I’m really happy it worked out the way it did to. Have a great rest of the shoot and yes talk soon!”
“The facts are clear, and we are beyond confident that Kevin will prevail,” Singer concluded.
Horizon is meant to be a Western epic series that is made up of four films. Costner is both directing and starring in the series. The first Horizon movie came out in June of last year. Horizon 2 then premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September of last year.
The third Horizon movie is currently in production. It remains to be seen if LaBella’s lawsuit will impact the releases of the last two planned Horizon films.
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