The female stuntperson who is suing legendary actor and director Kevin Costner over what she alleges was an “unscripted rape” scene as part of his Horizon: An American Saga epic has reportedly amended her filing to include new evidence about the incident.
According to Us Weekly, Devyn LaBella revealed new evidence in her lawsuit against the Oscar-winning former Yellowstone star in an amended filing on June 18, adding alleged text messages she exchanged with the film’s intimacy coordinator the day after filming the scene.
“I wanted to discuss yesterdays abomination when we both have a chance,” LaBella reportedly wrote in one text. “I was put in a really wrong position and it’s really affected me.”
LaBella filed suit against Costner and various business entities involved with the film on May 27, alleging that she was “the victim of a violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene” that Costner personally directed on May 2, 2023.
In subsequent texts that Us Weekly obtained, LaBella expressed concern over why a stunt double had been placed in the position of doing “non stunt work — especially given the sensitivity of it?”
She also questioned why there had not been an intimacy coordinator present and asked who was going to take responsibility for the “abuse of power.”
LaBella’s filing stated that she had been working on the film without any problems prior to the alleged incident. In fact, she says she had filmed another sexual assault scene on the previous day, May 1, with no problems, noting that that scene was scripted and rehearsed.
She alleged that when she arrived on the set on May 2, she was shocked to find that she was scheduled to shoot another explicit sexual assault scene that she had not known about or prepared for.
Costner produced and directed the film, as well as starring in it. LaBella’s filing alleges that he was “hands on” during the filming of the scene at issue, and he was “either involved in or fully aware of every single thing going on.”
LaBella says she began therapy in June of 2023 to address issues stemming from filming the scene, including “intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event, sleep disturbance, fears of intimacy, and anxiety.”
She also alleges retaliation in her filing, claiming she was “blacklisted from subsequent employment opportunities on the Horizon series and with production colleagues who were made aware of her complaints.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, LaBella’s suit accuses Costner and the various production companies involved of sexual discrimination, harassment and creating a hostile work environment. She’s seeking “general and compensatory damages in amounts to be proven at trial.”
“On that day, I was left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism,” LaBella said in a statement to THR. “What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry.”
Costner’s attorney, Marty Singer, told THR that LaBella’s lawsuit has “absolutely no merit,” adding that his client “always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously.”
Singer also claimed LaBella’s lawsuit is “completely contradicted by her own actions — and the facts,” alleging that she had thanked her stunt coordinator for “these wonderful weeks” after filming wrapped and even took him out to dinner to celebrate.
LaBella’s lawsuit claims her career came to an “abrupt halt” after the incident. In addition to financial compensation, she hopes the lawsuit will “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.”
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