Kevin Costner has been slapped with a lawsuit from a stunt performer who had worked on his film “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two.”
Devyn LaBella filed a complaint against the 70-year-old actor and the production companies behind the 2024 film, alleging sexual discrimination, harassment, and the creation of a hostile work environment, according to a legal filing obtained by The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday.
In legal documents, the 34-year-old claimed that she was “the victim of a violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene” which she noted was directed by Costner on May 2, 2023.
Costner’s legal team has since shut down the claims, saying LaBella’s allegations have “absolutely no merit.”
“Kevin Costner always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously,” Costner’s attorney, Marty Singer, told The Post in a statement.
“However, this claim by Devyn LaBella has absolutely no merit, and it is completely contradicted by her own actions — and the facts.”
Costner’s legal team also shared screenshots of text messages allegedly sent by LaBella following a cast dinner that took place after a rehearsal of the scene in question in May 2023.
“She [LaBella] was in good spirits and made no complaints to them,” Singer told the outlet. “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.”
“She also sent him a cordial thank you text illustrated with happy heart emojis (copy attached),” he added.
In her filing, LaBella — who had previously worked on projects including “Barbie,” “American Horror Stories,” “CSI: Vegas,” “Yellowjackets,” and “The Rookie” — said she “experienced shock, embarrassment and humiliation while attempting to process the situation,” in the days that followed after filming.
She further claimed that she was “not hired back to continue her role or at all as a stunt double for Horizon 3, which began filming in early 2024.”
In her personal statement to The Hollywood Reporter, LaBella said she was “left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism” following the scene.
“What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry,” she told the outlet.
The Western film franchise, which also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson and Giovanni Ribisi, saw appalling box office numbers when it premiered in June 2024.
Like its predecessor, “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two” got mostly negative reviews from critics after its release.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
