Kevin Costner is being sued by a stuntwoman who alleged that she was made to perform an unscripted rape scene without proper notice, consent or the mandatory presence of an intimacy coordinator while she was working on the actor and director’s upcoming movie “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.”
In the sequel film, Devyn LaBella was the lead stunt double for actress Ella Hunt, who played one of the “Horizon” movies’ main characters, Juliette Chesney. “Horizon: An American Saga” is a four-part Western film series that was co-written, produced and directed by Costner, who also stars.
In a complaint filed Tuesday in the Superior Court of California for Los Angeles County and obtained by Fox News Digital, LaBella sued Costner and his production companies for sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, the creation of a hostile workplace environment and retaliation stemming from an alleged on-set incident in May 2023.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Costner’s attorney, Marty Singer, emphatically denied the allegations made against his client, saying that LaBella’s claim “has absolutely no merit.”
The lawsuit claimed that, “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 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,” the documents added.
LaBella is suing for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, and she has requested a trial by jury.
According to the lawsuit, stunt coordinator Wade Allen hired LaBella on a SAG-AFTRA contract to work as Hunt’s stunt double during the filming of “Horizon 2,” which took place in Utah. Under SAG-AFTRA protocols, any scenes involving nudity or simulated sex require 48 hours prior notice, consent and a closed set along with the right for the performer to bring an intimacy coordinator.
The lawsuit stated that Hunt’s “Horizon 2” contract stipulated that the presence of an intimacy coordinator was mandatory for all scenes involving nudity or simulated sex, a requirement that was also extended to anyone acting as the actress’ stand-in, including LaBella.
Per the lawsuit, LaBella began filming “Horizon 2” in April 2023.
“For the first several weeks, Ms. LaBella professionally performed her stunts without incident,” the documents read. “However, this experience changed dramatically. Due to its very physical nature, Defendants informed Ms. LaBella she would be doubling for the majority of a scripted, aggressive and intimate rape scene” between Juliette and a male actor’s character.
According to the documents, the scene was filmed on May 1, 2023, and LaBella and the actors previously rehearsed it with Wade and an intimacy coordinator. During the filming of the scene, the set was closed, and the intimacy coordinator was present.
“The scene ‘wrapped,’ and no issues were noted,” the lawsuit stated.
Per the documents, LaBella was on set to film a “non-intimate scene” the following day. The lawsuit alleged that Costner, who was present on the set, improvised additional scenes in which Juliette would be raped by a different character played by another actor.
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The new scenes required the actor to “climb on top of Ms. Hunt, violently raking up her skirt,” the documents claimed. “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,” the documents alleged.
LaBella claimed that Costner asked her to serve as a “stand-in” for Hunt after the actress’s departure. She alleged that Costner directed the other actor to “repeatedly perform a violent simulated rape” on her “without proper notice, consent, preparation, or appropriate safeguard measures in place, such as the project’s intimacy coordinator being called in.”
According to the lawsuit, LaBella was unaware that Hunt had left the set after allegedly refusing to perform the scene.
In addition, LaBella alleged that the set was 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 claimed.
“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 stated.
“After the action had already begun, there was no time or space to process or reject the direction that was given.”
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LaBella also alleged that Allen and the intimacy coordinator were not informed that the scene was taking place.
After the filming of the scene was completed, LaBella “experienced shock, embarrassment and humiliation while attempting to process the situation.”
LaBella said she experienced “sudden bouts of crying on and off set” for the next few days and “broke down in the hair trailer” at one point. According to the documents, LaBella flew home for several days to spend time with family before returning to the set.
“However, the situation on the set upon her return was very awkward,” the documents claimed. “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 lawsuit added.
After production wrapped, LaBella claimed that she began therapy in June 2023 to “address symptoms” of the alleged experience, which included “intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event, sleep disturbance, fears of intimacy, and anxiety.”
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“On that day, I was left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism,” LaBella said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry,” she continued. “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.”
“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.”
In a statement, Singer told Fox News Digital, “Our client, Kevin Costner, always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously. However, this claim by Devyn LaBella has absolutely no merit, and it is completely contradicted by her own actions – and the facts.”
Singer labeled LaBella “a serial accuser of people in the entertainment industry,” adding, “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 [Allen] 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 continued. “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.”
Singer also pointed to a text that LaBella allegedly sent to Allen which was “illustrated with happy heart emojis” and read: “Thank you for these wonderful weeks! 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.
