A stunt performer has filed a lawsuit against actor-filmmaker Kevin Costner, claiming she was compelled to enact an unscripted rape scene on the set of his film Horizon 2 without adequate safety protocols or her consent.
Devyn LaBella, who served as the primary stunt performer for Ella Hunt's character, Juliette, in Costner’s Horizon series, claims in her suit that the filmmaker improvised a sequence depicting the character's rape. According to the legal filing, Hunt declined to do the scene.
LaBella’s lawsuit asserts that she was then brought to the project as a replacement without prior warning consent. Crucially, she alleges, an intimacy coordinator was not present during the filming of the scene. The set, LaBella claims, was not even closed off to others at the time of filming the scene.
LaBella’s complaint states the experience left her feeling humiliation and trauma. In a personal statement, she expressed profound distress. “On that day, I was left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism. What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry,” it states.
As per the lawsuit, the incident breached protocols that SAG-AFTRA established; the labour union mandates 48 hours’ notice and consent for sequences involving simulated sex or nudity. The alleged incident occurred on May 02, 2023, during filming in Utah. Notably, LaBella had enacted a separate, scripted rape sequence the day prior, which her suit claims was handled professionally. That scene, according to the lawsuit, happened at a closed set with rehearsals and the presence of an intimacy coordinator.
Kate McFarlane, LaBella’s attorney, characterised the situation as indicative of broader industry issues: “This case is a clear example of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood movie production. Our client was subjected to brutal sexual conduct completely unprotected from the obvious harm.”
Through Marty Singer, his attorney, Kevin Costner has vehemently refuted the allegations. Singer issued a statement asserting that Costner “always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously.”
Singer dismissed LaBella’s claim as having “absolutely no merit,” arguing it is “completely contradicted by her own actions – and the facts.” Singer further suggested that LaBella is a “serial accuser of people in the entertainment industry” who has collaborated with her same attorney on previous claims. Costner’s attorney described the lawsuit as a “shakedown tactic.”
As per Singer’s account, an explanation of the sequence was made to LaBella, and following a rehearsal, the latter signalled her willingness to film it if necessary to her stunt coordinator. Singer also stated that she had dinner with stunt coordinators that evening, appearing in “good spirits” and making “no complaints”.
However, LaBella’s lawsuit presents a conflicting narrative, stating she sought to understand why the sequence was permitted to occur. The complaint alleges that when she voiced her concern and outrage, male attendees on set “blamed her for not speaking up.” LaBella claims that while she felt “completely alone and disappointed”, she maintained professionalism as production continued. Her lawsuit details that in the following days, she experienced crying spells and awkwardness as the film’s crew members reportedly apologised for Costner’s conduct. She sought therapy to manage the traumatic aftermath.
Another attorney for LaBella, James Vagnini stated the lawsuit aims to highlight “failures at the highest levels of Hollywood production companies to comprehend and address the impacts of performing in sexually explicit and violent ‘scenes’ and the need for intimacy coordination.”
To counter LaBella’s claims, Singer provided a message supposedly from LaBella to the coordinator after filming: “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!”
LaBella’s complaint concludes by noting that she was not hired for the third Horizon film or has not been engaged for the coordinator’s other projects, despite working for him on a regular basis prior to this incident.