As if Kevin Costner didn’t already have enough headaches with ‘Horizon’ and its limbo status, another legal mess has now emerged for the actor-filmmaker
Stuntwoman Devyn LaBella has filed a lawsuit alleging she was subjected to an unplanned, graphic rape scene on set — without consent, notice, or the presence of a legally required intimacy coordinator.
The incident reportedly took place in May 2023 during filming of Chapter 2 of Costner’s self-financed, multi-part Western epic. According to LaBella’s suit, she was brought on to double for actress Ella Hunt in basic stunt sequences, but instead claims she was blindsided by a surprise scene of sexual violence allegedly sprung on her by Costner himself.
“This broke me,” LaBella told The Hollywood Reporter. “I was promised safety. Instead, I was exposed and betrayed.”
The lawsuit accuses Costner and the production team of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and fostering a hostile work environment. It also claims LaBella was blacklisted from the Horizon series and from future projects with stunt coordinator Wade Allen after she reported what happened.
Per the complaint, the trouble began on May 1, 2023, when LaBella participated in a scheduled, properly choreographed rape scene with full union protocol: rehearsals, breaks, closed set, and an intimacy coordinator present. But the next day, without warning, the suit claims Costner added a second, improvised rape sequence — this time involving a different character and actor, Roger Ivens.
LaBella alleges she was asked to lie on a wagon and was only made aware of the scene’s nature once Ivens began physically simulating assault per Costner’s direction. No coordinator. No prior script. And everything reportedly broadcast on open monitors for the crew.
Costner’s lawyer, Marty Singer, calls the claims “completely meritless,” asserting the scene was merely a rehearsal with no cameras rolling. He also says LaBella never raised concerns and even gave a “thumbs up” to her stunt coordinator afterward. She was ultimately not used in the final filmed version of the scene.
Meanwhile, ‘Horizon’ had already been facing another legal battle before LaBella’s lawsuit was filed — an arbitration claim over alleged breaches in a financing deal with New Line Cinema.
The dispute comes amid Costner’s ambitious and personal investment in the ‘Horizon’ project, which he envisioned as a four-part Western saga. While filming on Chapter 3 got shut down last year, due to lack of funds, the uncertain fate of Chapter 2 and the financial and legal tensions surrounding the production have now truly cast doubt on the future of the entire series.
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