Kevin Costner sued by stunt performer over unscripted rape scene
Kevin Costner was sued Tuesday by Ella Hunt's stunt double for allegedly forcing her to act in an unscripted and violent rape scene in the unreleased second part of his 'Horizon' saga.
Devyn LaBella is seeking a jury trial as she accuses 70-year-old Costner — who starred in, directed and co-wrote Horizon: An American Saga — of sexual discrimination, hostile work environment, sexual harassment, failure to remedy/prevent discrimination and harassment, retaliation, interference with the exercise of civil rights, intentional infliction of distress and breach of contract, according to the complaint obtained by Variety .
LaBella, 34, claims in her suit that, on May 2, 2023, she 'was the victim of a violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene,' directed by the Yellowstone star. LaBella says she suffered 'permanent trauma' and that her career came 'to an abrupt halt.'
'For the first several weeks, Ms LaBella professionally performed her stunts without incident. 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 Ms Hunt's character 'Juliette' and 'Sig,' played by Douglas Smith,' reads the complaint.
On May 2, a day after the scene in question went off with protocols in place, Costner allegedly 'asked Ms. LaBella to 'stand in' for Ms Hunt to 'line up [a] shot'' in the rape scene that was added impromptu, in violation of SAG-AFTRA protocol, and featuring the character Birke, played by '6'2″, 220lbs.' Roger Ivens.
Though it 'was not within the scope of her role as a stunt double,' LaBella 'agreed to help,' though she was allegedly unaware Hunt 'walked off the set, refusing to do the scene.'
Though LaBella's intimacy scenes required an intimacy coordinator's presence — as an extension of Hunt's own contract — the complaint states that, 'Crucially, no arrangements were made for Ms Chaney or any other intimacy coordinator to be present during filming' of the new shots.
The complaint says Costner was present throughout the filming of the scene and 'very 'hands on" and was either involved in or fully aware of every single thing going on.
'Without proper notice, consent, preparation, or appropriate safeguard measures in place, such as the project's intimacy coordinator being called in, Defendant Costner directed Mr Ivens to repeatedly perform a violent simulated rape on Ms LaBella,' the lawsuit alleges.
'There was no escaping the situation, and all Ms LaBella could do was wait for the nightmare to end. … She experienced shock, embarrassment and humiliation while attempting to process the situation.'
After alleging sexual harassment on set, LaBella was not hired to return for the third instalment of the film series, which started filming in early 2024, per the complaint. She says that though she was previously regularly hired for the stunt coordinator's projects, he has not brought her on to anything since.
LaBella says she filed complaints with the California Civil Rights Division in February 2024 and again in November.
The pre- and post-Civil War epic, Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1, hit theatres in June. After dismal box office numbers, the second installment — planned for August 2024 — was pulled from theatrical slates. The third and fourth chapters have not yet been scheduled.
The Daily News has reached out to a representative for Costner for additional comment. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
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