Yellowstone star Kevin Costner sued over ‘non-consensual rape scene’ in Horizon 2 by stunt performer: ‘Deeply betrayed, shocked’

Kevin Costner and Horizon 2 production sued by stunt double 

According to a report by The Guardian, Devyn LaBella filed the lawsuit in California on Tuesday. In her court filing, she detailed an incident dating back to May 2, 2023. Costner, who has written, is directing, and also starring in the four-part anthology, allegedly improvised a scene where the character Juliette was violently raped. According to the lawsuit, both Hunt and LaBella had already filmed the scene together a day before with all proper safety rules in place. Rehearsals were done, an intimacy coordinator was present, and only a limited number of crew members were allowed on set to respect the artist’s privacy. However, the next day, LaBella arrived on set and was forced to redo the scene with a different actor. Ella Hunt reportedly refused to do this new scene. 

LaBella claimed she was not informed about the changes beforehand, did not consent to them, and there was no intimacy coordinator present on set. She further stated that this time the crew was not limited, and everyone monitoring could easily see the ‘brutal filming.’ The lawsuit describes the male actor violently grabbing LaBella’s skirt, which had not been rehearsed, while Costner “experimented with different takes of the action.” Adding that the filming blatantly violated protocols laid out by SAG-AFTRA, where it is required that all contract performers receive notice of any script changes 48 hours before and that artists’ consent is mandatory for scenes involving nudity or simulated sex, LaBella said she felt “shocked, exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by the system that promised safety on set.”

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Kevin Costner’s lawyer responds

In response to the lawsuit, Costner’s lawyer Marty Singer gave a statement to Variety, dismissing the claims and saying Costner “always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously,” and said LaBella’s claim has “absolutely no merit, and it is completely contradicted by her own actions – and the facts.” The legal team claims that the scene was already explained to the stunt double. After the rehearsal, she apparently gave a “thumbs up” and said that the artist was in “great spirits” and didn’t complain at the time. He also revealed a text message allegedly sent by LaBella thanking the team for pulling off the scene as planned and wrote, “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!”

LaBella has sued both Costner and the production house for sexual “discrimination, harassment, and creating a hostile work environment.” She said at the time she couldn’t speak up because the filming was still underway and she had to maintain a professional front. However, she said, “What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry.” The artist has since been seeking therapy.

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