Kevin Costner seeks dismissal of sexual harassment suit
The 70-year-old actor-and-director is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.
Costner's legal team have filed court documents asking for the lawsuit - which accused the Bodyguard star of sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, creation of a hostile work environment, retaliation, and breach of contract - to be thrown out.
In paperwork obtained by the Daily Mail, it is claimed LaBella was happy on set and even sent a grateful text to a supervisor after the shoot wrapped, as well as offering Costner's own version of what happened during the scene in question.
According to the actor's declaration, the scene was included the script and saw LaBella in "full costume" of bike shorts and ankle-length dress lying next to actor Roger Ivens in a covered wagon.
He insisted the scene only had Ivens lift the hem of her dress before swinging a leg over her so that he ended up "on all fours over her".
"There was no nudity, simulated sex, simulated rape, physical contact, fighting, gyrating, or any physicality other than Devyn's outer dress being pushed from her ankles to her knees," the declaration said.
"While Devyn's outer dress may have bunched up around her knees (there was a lot of fabric), the dress was still below her waist and the pantaloons and petticoats underneath remained undisturbed."
The Yellowstone actor insisted the scene had been blocked ahead of time with the participation of the performer, who "understood what was to happen and consented to help".
In the filing, Costner - who directed, co-wrote, produced and starred in Horizon - included declarations from other members of the cast and crew to support his version of events.
And he alleged LaBella had texted a supervisor after filming and said: "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 too. Have a great rest of the shoot and yes talk soon!"
The stuntwoman filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers in May, and weeks later filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy co-ordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene.
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told DailyMail.com in a statement: "Ms LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an Insert Shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot.
"There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor."
Court documents stated LaBella was hired as a stunt double and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused "permanent trauma".
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a "serial accuser" and accusing her of "shakedown tactics".
Kevin Costner wants a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a stuntwoman dismissed.
The 70-year-old actor-and-director is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.
Costner's legal team have filed court documents asking for the lawsuit - which accused the Bodyguard star of sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, creation of a hostile work environment, retaliation, and breach of contract - to be thrown out.
In paperwork obtained by the Daily Mail, it is claimed LaBella was happy on set and even sent a grateful text to a supervisor after the shoot wrapped, as well as offering Costner's own version of what happened during the scene in question.
According to the actor's declaration, the scene was included the script and saw LaBella in "full costume" of bike shorts and ankle-length dress lying next to actor Roger Ivens in a covered wagon.
He insisted the scene only had Ivens lift the hem of her dress before swinging a leg over her so that he ended up "on all fours over her".
"There was no nudity, simulated sex, simulated rape, physical contact, fighting, gyrating, or any physicality other than Devyn's outer dress being pushed from her ankles to her knees," the declaration said.
"While Devyn's outer dress may have bunched up around her knees (there was a lot of fabric), the dress was still below her waist and the pantaloons and petticoats underneath remained undisturbed."
The Yellowstone actor insisted the scene had been blocked ahead of time with the participation of the performer, who "understood what was to happen and consented to help".
In the filing, Costner - who directed, co-wrote, produced and starred in Horizon - included declarations from other members of the cast and crew to support his version of events.
And he alleged LaBella had texted a supervisor after filming and said: "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 too. Have a great rest of the shoot and yes talk soon!"
The stuntwoman filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers in May, and weeks later filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy co-ordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene.
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told DailyMail.com in a statement: "Ms LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an Insert Shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot.
"There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor."
Court documents stated LaBella was hired as a stunt double and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused "permanent trauma".
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a "serial accuser" and accusing her of "shakedown tactics".
Kevin Costner wants a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a stuntwoman dismissed.
The 70-year-old actor-and-director is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.
Costner's legal team have filed court documents asking for the lawsuit - which accused the Bodyguard star of sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, creation of a hostile work environment, retaliation, and breach of contract - to be thrown out.
In paperwork obtained by the Daily Mail, it is claimed LaBella was happy on set and even sent a grateful text to a supervisor after the shoot wrapped, as well as offering Costner's own version of what happened during the scene in question.
According to the actor's declaration, the scene was included the script and saw LaBella in "full costume" of bike shorts and ankle-length dress lying next to actor Roger Ivens in a covered wagon.
He insisted the scene only had Ivens lift the hem of her dress before swinging a leg over her so that he ended up "on all fours over her".
"There was no nudity, simulated sex, simulated rape, physical contact, fighting, gyrating, or any physicality other than Devyn's outer dress being pushed from her ankles to her knees," the declaration said.
"While Devyn's outer dress may have bunched up around her knees (there was a lot of fabric), the dress was still below her waist and the pantaloons and petticoats underneath remained undisturbed."
The Yellowstone actor insisted the scene had been blocked ahead of time with the participation of the performer, who "understood what was to happen and consented to help".
In the filing, Costner - who directed, co-wrote, produced and starred in Horizon - included declarations from other members of the cast and crew to support his version of events.
And he alleged LaBella had texted a supervisor after filming and said: "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 too. Have a great rest of the shoot and yes talk soon!"
The stuntwoman filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers in May, and weeks later filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy co-ordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene.
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told DailyMail.com in a statement: "Ms LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an Insert Shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot.
"There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor."
Court documents stated LaBella was hired as a stunt double and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused "permanent trauma".
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a "serial accuser" and accusing her of "shakedown tactics".
Kevin Costner wants a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a stuntwoman dismissed.
The 70-year-old actor-and-director is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.
Costner's legal team have filed court documents asking for the lawsuit - which accused the Bodyguard star of sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, creation of a hostile work environment, retaliation, and breach of contract - to be thrown out.
In paperwork obtained by the Daily Mail, it is claimed LaBella was happy on set and even sent a grateful text to a supervisor after the shoot wrapped, as well as offering Costner's own version of what happened during the scene in question.
According to the actor's declaration, the scene was included the script and saw LaBella in "full costume" of bike shorts and ankle-length dress lying next to actor Roger Ivens in a covered wagon.
He insisted the scene only had Ivens lift the hem of her dress before swinging a leg over her so that he ended up "on all fours over her".
"There was no nudity, simulated sex, simulated rape, physical contact, fighting, gyrating, or any physicality other than Devyn's outer dress being pushed from her ankles to her knees," the declaration said.
"While Devyn's outer dress may have bunched up around her knees (there was a lot of fabric), the dress was still below her waist and the pantaloons and petticoats underneath remained undisturbed."
The Yellowstone actor insisted the scene had been blocked ahead of time with the participation of the performer, who "understood what was to happen and consented to help".
In the filing, Costner - who directed, co-wrote, produced and starred in Horizon - included declarations from other members of the cast and crew to support his version of events.
And he alleged LaBella had texted a supervisor after filming and said: "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 too. Have a great rest of the shoot and yes talk soon!"
The stuntwoman filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers in May, and weeks later filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy co-ordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene.
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told DailyMail.com in a statement: "Ms LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an Insert Shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot.
"There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor."
Court documents stated LaBella was hired as a stunt double and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused "permanent trauma".
Costner's lawyer Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a "serial accuser" and accusing her of "shakedown tactics".
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