Kevin Costner Sued Over Controversial Horizon 2 Scene, Lawyer Calls It a ‘Shakedown’

Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga has endured many main issues. The most important one but might have simply been introduced forth, as Costner has been sued by a stunt performer who’d labored on the second installment, which nonetheless has but to have a large launch in theaters.

Per Selection, a lawsuit was filed on Tuesday with Ella Hunt’s lead stunt double, Devyn LaBella, alleging that she was compelled to face in for an unscripted rape scene involving Hunt’s character, Juliette. In response to the lawsuit, Costner had improvised a scene wherein Juliette can be sexually assaulted. Hunt allegedly refused to movie the scene, at which level LaBella got here in to function a stand-in, per the lawsuit. LaBella claims that she was given no advance warning in regards to the scene, arguing it occurred with out preparation or consent.

It is alleged that the scene was meant to have the male actor mount LaBella earlier than pinning her down and “violently” raking up her skirt. It is stated to have occurred on a set that wasn’t closed with out an intimacy coordinator current. LaBella stated she was left feeling traumatized by the humiliation she endured by performing the scene beneath these situations. Her authorized submitting argues that the scene violated SAG-AFTRA protocols, which require 48 hours’ discover and consent for intercourse scenes.

“On that day, I used to be left uncovered, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised security and professionalism,” LaBella acknowledged, explaining why she filed the lawsuit. “What occurred to me shattered my belief and eternally modified how I transfer by way of this trade.”

Lawyer Kate McFarlane added, “This case is a transparent instance of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood film manufacturing. Our shopper was subjected to brutal sexual conduct utterly unprotected from the apparent hurt.”

In response to the submitting, LaBella additionally carried out a scripted rape scene on the day earlier than the improvised scene. That day, it was stated to have been dealt with correctly and professionally, with rehearsals, a closed set, and an intimacy coordinator current. The lawsuit is barely in relation to what occurred the subsequent day, allegedly on Could 2, 2023, with the scene that was allegedly improvised, breaking protocols.

Kevin Costner’s Lawyer Has Provided an Official Response

Costner is denying the allegations by way of his lawyer, Marty Singer. In an announcement, Singer argued that the lawsuit has “no benefit,” suggesting that that is a part of a “shakedown” to get a payday out of Costner. The lawyer insisted that Costner has “all the time needs to guarantee that everyone seems to be comfy engaged on his movies and takes security on set very critically.”

Singer continued, “Nevertheless, this declare by Devyn LaBella has completely no benefit, and it’s utterly contradicted by her personal actions – and the information. Ms. LaBella is a serial accuser of individuals within the leisure trade and has labored with the identical lawyer on previous claims. However these shakedown ways received’t work on this case.”

The lawyer additionally claimed that LaBella was certainly informed in regards to the scene beforehand, giving a “thumbs up” to her stunt coordinator afterward to substantiate she was keen to movie that scene.” She made “no complaints” to the stunt coordinators when having dinner with them that night, seemingly in “good spirits.” Nevertheless, LaBella’s model of occasions is that she introduced up her issues, claiming no person took her critically when she did.

As acknowledged within the submitting, “Upon expressing her outrage and concern, the male attendees blamed her for not talking up. She now felt utterly alone and dissatisfied, however, as manufacturing was not but wrapped, Ms. LaBella needed to proceed working and sustain an expert perspective.”

Costner’s lawyer additionally supplied a textual content message allegedly despatched by LaBella to the stunt coordinator after wrapping Horizon 2 which he argues is proof that she did not have issues with the manufacturing on the time. The textual content allegedly says, “Thanks for these fantastic weeks! I so recognize you! I discovered a lot and thanks once more. I’m actually comfortable it labored out the way in which it did to. Have an excellent remainder of the shoot and sure discuss quickly!”

LaBella additionally famous in her authorized submitting that the incident affected her work. She claims that she had labored for the stunt coordinator constantly up till Horizon 2, however after the shoot, she was not employed again for Horizon 3.

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 was launched in 2024, making $50 million — a disappointment, contemplating its excessive funds and bold future. Costner is planning to make 4 installments for the Western story, and Chapter 2 has screened at movie festivals, however has not but had a large launch. It stays unclear when Chapter 2 will see its large launch, however Costner stays dedicated to ending the sequence. Earlier this month, Costner was hit with one other large authorized setback when New Line filed a declare in opposition to his loan-out agency, claiming they compromised their co-financing settlement for the Horizon movies.

Supply: Selection