Kevin Costner Hit With Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Over 'Violent, Unscripted' Scene On Film Set
Kevin Costner has been dragged into a sexual harassment lawsuit by a stunt performer for his Western epic "Horizon." Devyn LaBella accused the actor of subjecting her to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" on the set of the film without proper notice, and wants a trial by jury.
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer has slammed LaBella as a "serial accuser," noting that her claims have "absolutely no merit" and expressing confidence in clearing the actor's name.
The film has also been embroiled in a legal battle between Kevin Costner's company, Horizon Series, and New Line Cinema over their co-financing agreement.
A stunt performer has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against actor and director Kevin Costner, along with the producers of his epic Western film, "Horizon: An American Saga."
In court documents obtained by People Magazine, Devyn LaBella, who acted as the stunt double for lead actress Ella Hunt, claimed that she was made to perform an unscripted rape scene without notice on the set of the second installment, "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2" back in May 2023.
The filing, which was made in the Superior Court of California for Los Angeles County on Tuesday, May 27, claims LaBella was hired to stand in for Hunt "during physical scenes," as well as for any stunts, as per SAG agreement.
However, she claims that she never consented to the scene in question and has been left with "permanent trauma" from the situation, which was seemingly worsened by the absence of an intimacy coordinator on set.
According to LaBella's complaint, any "last-minute requests for nudity or simulated sex" are not allowed by SAG, and the film's producers ought to have given a 48-hour notice of any changes. As per SAG stipulations, the performer's permission is also required should any changes arise as related to intimate scenes.
The documents stated that Hunt's contract required a "coordinator for all intimacy scenes," but weeks into filming, and "without incident," LaBella was told to stand in for the actress during a "scripted, aggressive and intimate rape scene" due to its "physical nature."
The lawsuit stated that the scene, which was between Hunt's character Juliette and actor Douglas Smith's character Sig, was filmed on May 1, 2023, and after multiple takes, "wrapped" with "no issues."
However, the next day, she was seemingly thrown off guard when Costner allegedly added a scene where a second actor, Roger Ivens, was supposed to "climb on top of Ms. Hunt, violently raking up her skirt."
Hunt reportedly refused to film the scene and even walked off set before Costner asked LaBella to "stand in" for her "without proper notice, consent, preparation, or appropriate safeguard measures in place." She added in the suit that the task "was not within the scope of her role as a stunt double."
LaBella claims that she didn't know when the scene began or ended, as Costner allegedly didn't call out "action" or "cut."
After filming, she explained that she was left with trauma and experienced "reminders of shame, humiliation, and complete lack of control."
The filing states that she took a few days off but later returned to an "awkward" environment, after which she was told to remain in her trailer and not be on set, explaining that others allegedly "made excuses" for Costner.
She claims that the alleged incident greatly affected her career, "leaving her with permanent trauma that she will be required to address for years to come."
LaBella began therapy in June 2023 to address "symptoms" of her alleged experience, such as "sleep disturbance, fears of intimacy," and "anxiety."
"On that day, I was left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism," she told People Magazine in a statement.
She added, "What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry."
Meanwhile, Costner's attorney Marty Singer has denied LaBella's claims, explaining that the "Yellowstone" actor always wants to "make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously."
Singer went on to slam LaBella as a "serial accuser" and that her claims have "absolutely no merit" and are "completely contradicted by her own actions — and the facts."
He also accused her of "shakedown tactics" and claimed that she had approved the alleged scene and even rehearsed it with another actor before filming.
He explained that she was in "good spirits" after filming and was quite grateful for the opportunity, as evidenced by a text she allegedly sent to the film's stunt coordinator.
"The facts are clear and we are beyond confident that Kevin will prevail," Singer concluded.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
What F-16 Loss Means For Ukraine's Air Power
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ukraine's air force on Sunday confirmed that a third Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot had been killed in action, a unwelcome blow for a military with a limited number of fourth-generation Western jets and a small pool of pilots trained to fly them. Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustimenko intercepted seven incoming Russian air targets in his F-16 jet before his aircraft was damaged and started to lose altitude, Ukraine's air force said in a statement on Sunday. He is the third known F-16 pilot to be killed while operating the U.S.-made aircraft, which Ukraine has been using for little under a year. Kyiv had long clamored for donations of the Lockheed Martin-manufactured F-16s to boost its Soviet-era aircraft while staring down Russia's more advanced — and much more numerous — fleet that has taken far fewer hits in the war than Moscow's land forces. Ukrainian Air Force F-16 fighter jets fly over an undisclosed location in Ukraine on August 4, 2024. Ukrainian Air Force F-16 fighter jets fly over an undisclosed location in Ukraine on August 4, 2024. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky But Kyiv has not yet received all of the aircraft promised to its military, and fully-trained pilots are in short supply, despite intensive rounds of training abroad. "With such intense fighting, losses are to be expected," an official with Ukraine's air force, Colonel Yuriy Ignat, said during an interview with the country's Ukrainska Pravda outlet, published in early June. Losing aircraft is "always part of air warfare, and while individual cases should never be decisive, attrition hurts," said Frederik Mertens, a strategic analyst with Dutch think tank, TNO. Losing pilots is also a painful prospect, he told Newsweek. In late August, just weeks after Kyiv confirmed it was operating the first of its donated jets, Ukraine said Oleksiy Mes — a famed pilot also known by his call sign, Moonfish — had died while "repelling a massive Russian combined air and missile attack." A second F-16 was shot down over the northeastern Sumy region in mid-April this year, killing its 26-year-old pilot, Pavlo Ivanov. The following month, the air force said it had lost communication with an F-16 intercepting Russian attacks, but that the pilot had managed to eject from the aircraft. Search and rescue teams quickly located and evacuated the pilot, the military said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he had ordered a full investigation into Ustimenko's death. Ustimenko "mastered four types of aircraft, and his record includes truly significant achievements for Ukraine," the Ukrainian leader said in his evening address. All three Ukrainian F-16 pilots killed while operating the jets were posthumously made Heroes of Ukraine, the country's highest honor. Kyiv's military reported in the early hours of Sunday that Russia had launched hundreds of drones and decoys at the country overnight, as well as various different types of missiles. Ignat told Newsweek it was the highest number of aerial threats recorded since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022. Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement it had launched a "massive strike with high-precision long-range air, sea and land-based weapons," including Kinzhal missiles, targeting Ukraine's military industry and the country's oil refineries. Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said Moscow had "struck energy facilities, infrastructure, and residential areas." Ukraine has repeatedly used its F-16 fighter jets, as well French-made Mirage 2000 aircraft Kyiv received in early 2025, to intercept Russian attacks on the country. "This loss and earlier losses clearly point at the dangers of intercepting low-flying targets at close range with low-flying aircraft," Mertens said, adding the drive to "do the utmost and take serious risks" when in the air can be especially strong when trying to shield civilians and residential buildings. It's not clear exactly how many of the approximately 85 F-16s committed by Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium are now being used by Ukraine. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's defense minister, said in February that Denmark had "already delivered most of the promised F-16s, with the remaining ones to arrive soon." Umerov's Danish counterpart, Troels Lund Poulsen, said shortly after that Copenhagen had transferred 12 out of the 19 jets it had promised Ukraine. It's not immediately apparent whether the remaining seven jets have been delivered. Newsweek has reached out to the Danish Defense Ministry for comment via email. The Dutch defense ministry said in late May that the last of its 24 pledged F-16s had left the country, bound for Ukraine. Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik told the country's state-run NRK broadcaster in mid-May that Oslo would finish transferring F-16s to Ukraine by the end of 2025, but refused to confirm how many jets had already been donated. Norway has officially confirmed it will send six F-16s by the end of 2025. Newsweek has contacted the Norwegian Defense Ministry for comment via email. Then-Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib told domestic broadcaster RTL in May 2024 that Belgium would deliver 30 F-16s to Ukraine by 2028. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said in March this year that the F-16 transfers to Ukraine were on hold until 2026, a delay blamed on hiccups to the delivery of Brussels' replacement F-35 fifth-generation jets. Standing next to Zelensky during a press conference in April in the Ukrainian capital, the Belgian prime minister said Brussels would send two F-16s for spare parts in 2025 and two more aircraft the following year. Belgium's current defense minister, Theo Francken, said in May Brussels "would try to deliver the aircraft even earlier," according to remarks reported by the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty outlet. The Belgian Defense Ministry has been approached for comment.
Cosmopolitan
4 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan
Who were the 7/7 London bombers and what happened in the tragic capital attack?
It was meant to be an ordinary Thursday for millions of Londoners, who traipsed towards the tube, sleepy-eyed, as they took their usual commute to work. However, the events of 7 July 2005 were set to change the capital forever. They also changed the personal lives of hundreds who were injured or lost a loved one, when four men decided to detonate home-made explosives – three on the London Underground, and one on a bus – in an act of extremist terrorism that shocked Londoners and the world. Now, a new Netflix series is set to examine the tragic circumstances which led up to this event, and the shocking aftermath that saw a similar, copycat attack in London just two weeks later. Luckily this second attack, known as the 21/7 bombings, failed. But who were the men behind the 7/7 bombings, which killed 52 and injured 784 more? In light of the renewed interest, and with the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the horizon, we look at the perpetrators who caused chaos in the capital. The 30-year-old, who was born in Britain and raised in Leeds, worked as a teaching assistant at a local primary school. Married and with a daughter, those who knew Khan described him as a 'quiet' individual. He was the considered the 'lead' bomber, and was considered by others involved in the attacks as a 'father figure'. It was in the early 2000s that Khan started to flirt with more extremist beliefs, and in 2001, he began to frequently travel to Pakistan where he attended training camps associated with Al-Qaeda. He was reportedly in contact with London-based Al-Qaeda operatives. The Iqra bookshop, based in Leeds, was a place where Khan held late-night discussions about the 'evils' of Western foreign policy, such as the UK and US's involvement in conflict in Muslim countries. It was within these local circles, including family connections, nearby gyms and mosques, that Khan and the other three bombers became connected. The four used a rental house in the area in order to build their explosive devices. While Khan did not have any criminal convictions, he was monitored by MI5 in 2004 due to his indirect association with another plot, spearheaded by Omar Khyam, to set off a wave of fertiliser-based explosions around the country. However, surveillance was dropped as there was not enough evidence to keep trailing him at the time. On 7 July, Khan, alongside the three other bombers, left Leeds and headed to Luton. The men then travelled by train to London's King's Cross station. Khan boarded a Circle Line tube train, detonating his bomb at Edgware Road station, killing six people. The bombing was actually meant to take place the day before, however, Khan was forced to delay the operation due to complications with his wife's pregnancy, which meant he needed to take her to hospital. The earlier plan was for the four suicide bombers to set off their bombs at Bond Street, South Kensington, Paddington and Westminster stations. In a video, released in September 2005 by Al Jazeera Television, a pre-recorded clip of Khan saw him attempt to justify his actions. 'Your democratically elected governments continually perpetrate atrocities against my people all over the world,' he said. 'Your support makes you directly responsible. We are at war and I am a soldier. Now you too will taste the reality of this situation.' The 22-year-old, who was also born in Britain and lived in Leeds, was the son of a prominent businessman. Tanweer worked in one of his father's fish and chip shops at the time of the attack. Tanweer attended several mosques, including Bengali and Stratford Street mosque in Beeston, Leeds, where two of the other London bombers, Khan and Hasib Hussain, are also believed to have worshipped. Tanweer's sister was married to Khan, with Khan and Tanweer known to have headed to Pakistan together to attend a terrorist training camp. On the day of the attack itself, Tanweer travelled eastbound on the Circle line from Kings Cross, detonating his bomb on a train between Liverpool Street and Aldgate stations, killing seven people. A year after the 7/7 bombings, a video statement by Tanweer was broadcast by Al-Jazeera, where he said: 'What you have witnessed now is only the beginning of a string of attacks that will continue and become stronger until you pull your forces out of Afghanistan and Iraq. And until you stop your financial and military support to America and Israel." Also known as 'Abdullah Shaheed Jamal', the 19-year-old was born in Jamaica and moved to the UK when he was just five with his mother. The family settled in Huddersfield – where Lindsay would eventually meet ringleader Khan. Lindsay converted to Islam in 2000 alongside his mother, and attended classes where he read the Quran and learned Arabic. It has been claimed that he was radicalised by extremist preacher, Abdallah al-Faisal, who was eventually imprisoned in 2003 for inciting racial hatred and murder. After Lindsay's mother relocated to the United States, Lindsay, still only a teenager, was left alone in Huddersfield, where he claimed benefits and worked odd jobs, such as carpet fitting and selling mobile phone covers. In 2002, Lindsay married Samantha Lewthwaite, a white British convert to Islam whom he had met on the internet and then later, at a protest. He then moved to Aylesbury, where Lewthwaite was based. Lewthwaite herself has since gained notoriety as a terrorist, with links to Somalia-based radical Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab after Lindsay's death. On the day of the 7/7 bombings, Lindsay met the other assailants in Luton. He detonated his bomb on the Piccadilly line, between King's Cross St Pancras and Russell Square tube stations. He killed 26 people. The 18-year-old was born in Leeds and was described as 'quiet' by those who knew him. He was a keen sportsman, playing football and cricket on local teams. Teachers who knew him described Hussain as 'a slow, gentle giant'. It was in the latter half of 2003 that Hussain met Khan and Tanweer, with the three all believed to attend the Stratford Street Mosque in Beeston. In the months before the attacks, Hussain had rented a small flat in the Chapeltown area of Leeds – thought to be the property that was used to make the explosives used in the 7/7 bombings. On the day of the attacks, Hussain travelled down with Khan and Tanweer from Leeds to Luton, where Linsday met them. It is thought that Hussain was intending to target a Northern line train – however, that morning, Northern line services had been suspended. CCTV shows Hussain in Boots at King's Cross, trying to get hold of the other bombers – who, at this point, had already detonated their devices. Around 50 minutes later, he detonated his bomb on the Number 30 bus heading from Marble Arch to Hackney Wick. On 7 July, Hussain's family reported him missing, having previously been told he was going up to London to visit friends. In a statement, his family later said Hussain had been "a loving and normal young man who gave us no concern". "We are having difficulty taking this in," they said. "Our thoughts are with all the bereaved families and we have to live ourselves with the loss of our son in these difficult circumstances. "We had no knowledge of his activities and, had we done, we would have done everything in our power to stop him." At 06.51am on 7 July, all four suicide bombers met at Luton train station, getting their explosives out of the boot of a rented Nissan Micra. They got on a delayed train to King's Cross, which arrived at 08.23 – entering the London Underground shortly after. At 08.26am, they each look to board different trains. At 08.49, Khan, Tanweer and Lindsay's bombs all detonate within 50 seconds of each other. Tanweer sets off his bomb between Liverpool Street and Aldgate stations on the eastbound Circle Line, killing seven. Khan, on a westbound Circle Line train, detonates his rucksack between Edgware Road and Paddington, killing six. Lindsay, on a packed westbound Piccadilly Line train, sets off his bomb between King's Cross and Russell Square, killing 26. At 09.13am, an emergency was declared on the London Underground. A further instruction was sent at 09.40am to begin evacuating an estimated 200,000 passengers from more than 500 trains. At 09.47am, Hussain detonates his bomb on the number 30 double-decker bus in Tavistock Square, near King's Cross, killing 13 people. As well as the four suicide bombers, 52 people were killed in the attacks, with a further 784 injured. It was the UK's deadliest terrorist incident since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing when a Pam-Am airlines flight exploded over the Scottish town, killing all 259 passengers and 11 people on the ground. Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers is available to watch on Netflix now Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
Forbes
9 hours ago
- Forbes
Kevin Costner's ‘Horizon: An American Saga' Star Gives Filming Update
Kevin Costner in "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1." Danny Huston, who plays a major role in Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga has given a promising update about the beleaguered Western film series. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 was released on June 28, 2024, and struggled for five weeks at the box office. When the film ended its theatrical run in early August, it only earned $29 million in North American theaters and $9.7 million internationally for a worldwide domestic gross of $38.7 million against a $100 million production budget before prints and advertising Variety reported. Costner spent $38 million of his own money to finance Horizon, per Variety, alongside two unnamed private investors. Horizon Chapter 1 not only prematurely completed its theatrical run on Aug. 8, 2024, but the planned Aug. 16, 2024, release of Horizon Chapter 2 was postponed by Costner's production company and distributor New Line Cinema, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. With an initial release date set a mere six weeks after Horizon Chapter 1 was released in theaters in late June of 2024, Costner still proceeded to complete Horizon Chapter 2 and held the film's worldwide premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 7, 2024. After that, Costner staged Horizon Chapter 2's U.S. premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Feb. 7. While the release date of Horizon Chapter 2 remains in limbo, Huston — who plays Col. Albert Houghton in Costner's Western saga — has a positive update for fans who want to see the actor-director-producer see the film series through its completion. During a recent interview with Screen Rant, Danny Huston — the son of the late legendary director John Huston and brother of fellow actor Anjelica Huston — said that Costner has largely completed filming Horizon Chapter 3. "I think he's got a lot of Chapter 3 in the can, actually. But there's no stopping him,' Danny Huston told Screen Rant of Costner's progress on the third Horizon: An American Saga movie. 'He's just unbelievable, and this dream of his is coming to life in a spectacular way. It's just extraordinary what he does.' Kevin Costner Has Made No Secret That He's Looking For More 'Horizon' Investors Despite the setbacks surrounding Horizon: An American Saga Chapters 1 and 2, Kevin Costner has pressed on with completing his film series, saying during a Deadline Contenders panel for Horizon Chapter 1 on Nov. 16, 2024, that he was searching for more investors. 'I'm hoping, I'm dreaming, I'm meeting all the billionaires that we all hear about — they're all hiding in the shadows,' Costner said during the Deadline Contenders event, adding that he was working on Horizon Chapter 3 with an eye on making Chapter 4. 'I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I'm going to make it and then I'm going to make the fourth one,' Costner said at the Deadline Contenders panel. 'And if you want to say 'the end' at that point, then that's the end.' Apart from the filming setbacks, Horizon: An American Saga has also been weathering some legal issues surrounding the production. The Hollywood Reporter reported in early May that Horizon Series (which is Costner's loan-out firm), New Line Cinema and City National Bank were involved in a legal battle. Then in late May, a stunt double filed a lawsuit against the production, 'alleging sexual harassment, hostile work environment and intentional infliction of emotional distress,' NBC News reported. According to NBC News, the stunt double alleges in the complaint that a ''violent, unscripted, unscheduled' rape scene unfolded during filming in Utah on May 2, 2023." Kevin Costner's Horizon: Chapter 2's release date is yet to be announced.
