Warner Bros. /Courtesy Everett Collection Kevin Costner, the production companies behind his four-partHorizon: An American Sagafilm series, and 10 additional, unnamed individuals involved in producingHorizon Chapter 2have been sued by a stunt performer for alleged sexual harassment, discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, and more. Stunt performer Devyn LaBella filed the suit on Tuesday in California Superior Court. The complaint, obtained byEntertainment Weekly, alleges that Labella, who was hired as a stunt double for star Ella Hunt, became subject on May 2, 2023, to a "violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene directed by Kevin Costner." TheBodyguardstar not only acts in the first twoHorizonfilms, but also directed, co-wrote, and co-produced them. This "impromptu work demand," according to the complaint, violated provisions in both LaBella's SAG-AFTRA contract that prohibit last-minute requests for nudity or simulated sex, as well as in Hunt's contract, which requires the presence of an intimacy coordinator for all such scenes. As a third-party beneficiary to Hunt's contract, the complaint alleges the provision extends to LaBella. "On that day, I was left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism. What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry," LaBella wrote in a statement shared with EW. "This experience has ignited in me a lifelong mission to be the advocate I once needed, ensuring no one else is ever left as vulnerable as I was." James A. Vagnini, LaBella's attorney, noted in a statement shared with EW that Tuesday's suit was "filed not only for the damages Plaintiff has sustained, but to address the continued failures at the highest levels of Hollywood production companies to comprehend and address the impacts of performing in sexually explicit and violent 'scenes' and the need for intimacy coordination." Costner's attorney, Martin D. Singer, responded to the suit in a statement shared with EW by insisting Costner "always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously. However, this claim by Devyn LaBella has absolutely no merit, and it is completely contradicted by her own actions — and the facts." Singer's statement refers to LaBella as "a serial accuser of people in the entertainment industry [who] has worked with the same lawyer on past claims" and claims that "the facts are clear and we are beyond confident that Kevin will prevail." Randy Shropshire/Getty In addition to sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, and the creation of a hostile work environment, LaBella's suit alleges an additional sexual harassment claim, failure to remedy or prevent harassment and discrimination, retaliation in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act, interference with the exercise of LaBella's civil rights, infliction of emotional distress, and breach of contract. LaBella and her attorneys are asking for a jury trial. Want more movie news? Sign up forEntertainment Weekly's free newsletterto get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Costner and the production companies behindHorizonare facing a separate arbitration claim alleging breaches to a deal, which wasfiled earlier this monthby New Line Cinema. The production company that co-financed the series with Horizon Series, Costner's loan-out company, is demanding repayment after City National Bank initiated arbitration proceedings. Costner hasspent upwards of $38 millionof his own money financing the series, which cost a reported$100 milliontotal to produce, and has so fargrossedroughly $38 million globally. Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly
