Kevin Costner sued over ‘unscripted' rape scene

Telegraph

2 days ago

Kevin Costner, the Hollywood actor and director, is being sued by a stuntwoman for allegedly subjecting her to a violent and unscripted rape scene.
Devyn LaBella, the stunt double for Ella Hunt, the lead actress in Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2, claims Costner, 70, instructed another actor to pin her down and simulate rape without prior rehearsal or warning.
Ms LaBella, 34, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday naming Costner – the film's director – and production companies as defendants.
The lawsuit reads: 'The impact of this impromptu work demand on Ms LaBella has been profound, not only upending a career Ms LaBella spent years building but leaving her with permanent trauma that she will be required to address for years to come.'
Kate McFarlane, the lawyer representing Ms LaBella, described the case as a 'clear example of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood movie production'.
'Our client was subjected to brutal sexual conduct, completely unprotected from the obvious harm,' she said.
Costner has denied the allegations.
Marty Singer, Costner's lawyer, said Ms LaBella was a 'serial accuser' and that her claims are 'completely contradicted by her open actions and the facts'.
The lawsuit states Ms LaBella, a former gymnast, had acted as a stunt double throughout the Western film. Ms LaBella's work on the film included a planned sexual assault scene, filmed on May 1, 2023.
Ms LaBella took part in the scene and protocols were followed, including meetings, rehearsals, the presence of an intimacy co-ordinator and minimal crew.
However, the following day, it is claimed that in an unscripted scene that was initiated with allegedly no warning, rehearsal or choreography, Costner is said to have directed an actor to pin Ms LaBella down on a wagon and simulate rape.
The lawsuit claims Costner demanded several takes and did not make it clear when filming was beginning or ending.
'There was no escaping the situation, and all Ms LaBella could do was wait for the nightmare to end,' the lawsuit alleges.
It claims that safeguards were ignored in violation of union contracts and industry standards.
Shame and humiliation
The lawsuit claims Ms LaBella's remaining time on the production were 'continuous reminders of the shame, humiliation and complete lack of control she had experienced during the May 2 filming' and that 'she experienced sudden bouts of crying on and off set'.
The lawsuit seeks damages in an amount to be determined at the trial.
It also seeks a judge's order for the defendants to undergo sexual harassment training, to be required to use an intimacy co-ordinator on future productions and to issue Ms LaBella a public apology.
Mr Singer has argued that Ms LaBella, who has worked as a Hollywood stunt performer since 2020, with credits including Barbie and Yellowjackets, was well informed of the scene in advance and had consented to it.
'Shake-down tactics'
In a statement, Mr Singer said: 'The scene in question was explained to Ms LaBella, and after she performed the rehearsal in character with another actor, she gave her stunt co-ordinator supervisor a 'thumbs up' and indicated her willingness to then shoot the scene, if needed (which she was not).'
'That night, Ms LaBella had dinner with her supervisor, the stunt co-ordinator, and with the assistant stunt co-ordinator, and she was in good spirits and made no complaints to them.
'She continued to work on the movie for a few more weeks until her wrap date, and she took the stunt co-ordinator to a thank-you dinner.'
He added Ms LaBella's 'shake-down tactics won't work in this case'.