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By Sophie Clark
Live News Reporter
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Kevin Costner, Horizon Series Inc., and 10 others who are anonymous in the court filings are being sued by a stunt woman accusing Costner of directing a "violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" during the filming of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.
The stunt woman, Devyn LaBella, has accused Costner, his company Horizon Series Inc., which finances his Horizon films, and the other defendants of sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and five other complaints.
Costner's lawyer, Marty Singer, referred to the lawsuit as a "shakedown," in a statement sent to Newsweek.
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Newsweek has reached out to LaBella's legal team via email for comment.
The Context
LaBella has said the impact of Costner's alleged actions has been "profound" and that she is left with "permanent trauma that she will be required to address for years to come."
Her filing states that she is suing not only for herself but to "address the continued 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."
This is the second lawsuit filed against Horizon Series Inc., as New Line Cinema is suing the company over breaches in their co-financing agreement.
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What To Know
In 2023, LaBella was working on Horizon 2 as the lead stunt double for actress Ella Hunt, who plays Juliette Chesney, a British schoolteacher searching for a new life in America.
LaBella and Hunt are members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), and LaBella's SAG agreement contains "specific contractual obligations relating to any nude and intimate scenes to be performed by Ms. LaBella," per the suit.
Hunt's contract stipulates that she is entitled to have an intimacy coordinator present during filming of intimate scenes. This extends to LaBella, who is a third-party beneficiary of this stipulation as her stunt double.
According to LaBella's suit, SAG-AFTRA contracts also prohibit the introduction of a last-minute intimacy scene, giving actors at least 48 hours to negotiate the scene. And, intimacy scenes must be performed on a closed set.
Intimacy coordinator Yehuda Duenyas told Newsweek these SAG-AFTRA stipulations "aren't bureaucratic obstacles—they are vital tools that uphold the integrity of storytelling and the humanity of the performers bringing those stories to life."
He said they exist to preserve the dignity and sanity of the performers.
"The camera may capture fiction, but the impact on the actor's body and nervous system is real. Without planning, boundaries, and oversight, productions risk causing genuine harm," said Duenyas.
LaBella's suit, which was filed in the LA County court of the Superior Court of California, states that she had performed one scripted rape scene for the film which was done in accordance with all SAG-AFTRA protocols, including a closed set and an intimacy coordinator.
However, she then alleges that a second, unscripted rape scene, occurred on May 2 when she was on set to film for a non-intimate scene.
According to LaBella's suit, "Ms. Hunt arrived for her shot as scheduled on May 2. The script only called for Juliette (Ms. Hunt) to mouth the word "No." However, when Ms. Hunt arrived, she learned that the Director, Defendant Costner, had requested that additional scenes be shot with a different male actor, Mr. Ivens, who had also been cast during pre-production in the Los Angeles area.
"In these new scenes, Mr. Ivens was to climb on top of Ms. Hunt, violently raking up her skirt. Defendant Costner, who was present on the set, specifically added this scene, which varied from the scene filmed the day before which had not involved pulling up the actor's skirt. Moreover, this revised scene is not specified in the assigned call sheet for that day," the suit says.
According to her court filings, LaBella was "completely unaware of these developments," and was caught entirely by surprise when her stand-in role suddenly turned into a simulated rape scene, with her being allegedly pinned down by a male actor performing the scene with her.
She says she was not given the requisite 48 hours to sign off on the scene, the set was not closed, and there was no intimacy coordinator present. Her suit is against Costner as she has accused him of directing the action.
Duenyas told Newsweek: "Productions have every right to pursue their creative vision. No one is disputing that. Humans are storytellers, and even hard stories reveal truths that teach us about our humanity. But just as stunt scenes require choreography, planning, and safety protocols, so too do scenes depicting sexual violence. Actors have the right to clear communication, advance notice, and robust consent frameworks—especially when portraying physically or emotionally vulnerable material."
Costner's attorney, Singer, told Newsweek: "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 said that LaBella was made aware of the scene prior to filming, and that the night following the scene, she was in good spirits and did not bring any complaints to the stunt coordinator. Singer has accused LaBella of making similar claims against other sets.
Singer sent Newsweek screenshots of a text he says LaBella sent to the stunt coordinator following the film shoot.
The text reads: "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! [smiling heart emoji, heart hands emoji]."
What People Are Saying
Devyn LaBella's lawsuit alleges: "As a proximate result of Defendants' conduct, Ms. LaBella suffered and continues to suffer damages in terms of lost wages, lost bonuses, lost benefits, and other pecuniary loss according to proof. Ms. LaBella has also suffered and will continue to suffer physical and emotional injuries, including nervousness, humiliation, depression, anguish, embarrassment, fright, shock, pain, discomfort, fatigue, and anxiety. The amount of Plaintiff's damages will be ascertained at trial."
Kevin Costner's lawyer, Marty Singer, told Newsweek: "The facts are clear and we are beyond confident that Kevin will prevail."
**Intimacy coordinator Yehuda Duenyas told Newsweek: "**You'd never shoot a car crash without a stunt coordinator—so why would you film a [rape] scene without an intimacy coordinator?"
What Happens Next
LaBella is suing for relief due to her alleged trauma and loss of wages from losing other work following the alleged incident, for a public apology, and for the defendants to submit to anti-sexual harassment and anti-sexual violence training provided by a reputable organization such as RAINN. She is also requesting a jury trial for all charges that can be brought before a jury.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673, or contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) helpline via their websiterainn.org.
Update 05/29/25, 04:38 a.m. ET: This story was updated to include comment from Marty Singer and Yehuda Duenyas.
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