Kevin Costner recently had a small victory in court as part of his legal dispute with stuntwoman Devyn LaBella. The case centers around a scene filmed for his movie, Horizon, where LaBella claims an unscripted sexual assault occurred.
In a lawsuit filed in May, LaBella alleged that Kevin Costner sexually assaulted her on the set of ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2’ in May 2023. She claims the assault occurred while she was a stand-in for actress Ella Hunt and was not part of the planned filming.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, the judge rejected most of Christine Labella’s claims against Kevin Costner, but dismissed two of them.
The dismissed claims included one about sexual harassment and another concerning the Bane Act, a law designed to prevent hate crimes.
Following Thursday’s court decision, Kevin Costner’s lawyer, Marty Singer, stated they were happy the judge partially agreed with their request to dismiss the lawsuit, throwing out two of the claims – including one alleging sexual harassment.
Daily Mail has reached out to LaBella’s reps for further comment on the story.
Although we disagree with the court’s decision to let the case continue, we believe the remaining claims are without merit and intend to appeal immediately.
Singer stressed that claims made by LaBella were patently false, and motivated by finances.
Despite the plaintiff’s extreme claims, there was no evidence of any forced sexual acts, sexual contact, or harassment, nor was there any retaliation, according to Costner’s lawyer.
Honestly, it’s just unbelievable to me! They’re saying LaBella is demanding *millions* – millions! – just for being in one little rehearsal shot. And get this – she even admits they told her what it was about beforehand! It’s like she’s trying to hold this whole project hostage for a fortune, and I just don’t get it. It was a harmless shot, a simple rehearsal, and now this? It’s infuriating!
Kevin Costner’s lawyer promised they will keep working to prove what really happened, and expressed strong confidence they will win the case.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this case closely. Just yesterday, the court made a decision following a request from the Oscar-winning actor and director back in August. He’d asked the court to completely throw out the lawsuit brought by LaBella, and now the court has ruled on that request.
LaBella updated her lawsuit on June 18th, adding screenshots of text messages with the film’s intimacy coordinator. She also provided detailed accounts of the emotional distress she claims she felt after filming the scene.
That month, Kevin Costner’s lawyer, Marty Singer, strongly denied LaBella’s claims in a statement to the Daily Mail. He accused her of making up her story and stated that the scene she filmed contained no sexual contact or intimacy of any kind.
Costner’s lawyers recently filed paperwork with the court, obtained by the Daily Mail, requesting that the case brought by LaBella be completely thrown out.
The team claims LaBella was cheerful during filming and sent a very thankful text message to a supervisor once it was finished. They are also sharing their account of what occurred during the specific scene in question.
In a sworn statement, Costner said the scene appeared in the script and featured LaBella wearing a full costume – bike shorts under a long dress – lying fully clothed next to actor Roger Ivens inside a covered wagon.
Costner states the encounter only progressed to Ivens raising her dress and positioning himself on top of her, ending with him on his hands and knees above her.
He stated firmly that there was no inappropriate physical contact of any kind. He specifically denied any nudity, sexual activity, violence, or even close physical interaction, clarifying that the only physical action was Devyn’s dress being adjusted from her ankles to her knees.
He also points out that although Devyn’s dress had a lot of fabric and gathered at her knees, it still covered her waist, and the layers underneath – her pantaloons and petticoats – weren’t affected.
According to his account, the attempt was stopped beforehand with help from LaBella, who knew it was going to happen and agreed to participate.
Kevin Costner, the director, co-writer, producer, and star of *Horizon*, also provided statements from other cast and crew members that disputed LaBella’s account.
He also stated that after filming finished, LaBella sent a text to a supervisor saying, ‘Thank you for these wonderful weeks! I really appreciate everything, and I learned a lot. I’m glad it all worked out. Have a great rest of the shoot, and let’s talk soon!’
Honestly, it’s just infuriating! Kevin Costner is trying to weasel his way out of taking responsibility for his actions, and his lawyers are *still* claiming he’s a powerful guy trying to avoid consequences. It’s just… unbelievable. He thinks he can get away with anything, but I’m telling you, this is all about him trying to avoid being held accountable for being reckless and hurting people!
The statement strongly refutes claims suggesting Devyn’s professional behavior on set undermines the validity of the assault she experienced. It calls these claims insulting to all victims and points to substantial evidence – including eyewitness testimony, phone records, text messages, and a detailed report from the production’s Intimacy Coordinator – that directly contradicts them.
This motion is completely without merit and appears to be a last-ditch effort to postpone proceedings, indicating the legal team lacks a strong case.
Kevin Costner’s reputation is suffering because of his own damaging actions and the misleading story he’s telling to excuse them.
Costner recently submitted a new court document almost two months after LaBella and her lawyers strongly reiterated their claims. They accuse Singer, Costner, and the others named in the lawsuit of working together to silence and damage LaBella’s credibility, hoping to hide what she believes is clear proof.
In a statement released on June 25th to the Daily Mail, LaBella described what happened on set as a dangerous and unacceptable disregard for her safety and consent.
I was instructed to lie down, and then, unexpectedly, another actor began to simulate a sexual assault on top of me. My underwear was visible. Afterwards, I was left by myself, feeling deeply upset and in shock. Just because someone goes along with something under pressure doesn’t mean they agreed to it, and you can’t give consent once something harmful has already started.
LaBella explained that once a certain point was reached, there was no longer any real decision to be made. She immediately voiced her concerns, but was met with silence, attempts to change the subject, and efforts to undermine her credibility.
This isn’t simply my personal case; it highlights a flawed system where powerful people are shielded and those who raise concerns are penalized. I’m asking for broader change – a workplace where everyone can feel safe, respected, and work with dignity.
What occurred on set was unacceptable. I want everyone to know that I spoke up, I told the truth about it, and I will never be sorry for simply asking to be treated with basic respect at work.
James A. Vagnini and Kate McFarlane, LaBella’s lawyers, both released statements that supported what she said.
Vagnini says Labella immediately protested the upsetting experience she had while filming, unlike what Singer has stated. Texts and a report from the set’s intimacy coordinator back up Labella’s version of events.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen this pattern far too often, and frankly, it’s heartbreaking. What happened here is a clear case of letting someone down on every level. These tactics – the empty promises and shallow gestures – are so outdated and ultimately, completely meaningless. It’s a playbook I wish people would retire already.
How many more people need to face legal consequences before they understand that taking responsibility and simply apologizing can resolve a lot of issues?
As a longtime fan, I was really shocked to hear McFarlane claim that Costner and his team were deliberately trying to ruin LaBella’s reputation. It sounded like a full-on attempt to discredit her, and it’s incredibly concerning to me.
McFarlane continued, saying this behavior isn’t unexpected. He’s repeatedly observed people in this field try to shift blame instead of owning up to how their actions hurt others.
The updated complaint includes evidence that Ms. LaBella bravely reported her assault right away, and she continues to demonstrate that same strength as she pursues her case today.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this case closely. What’s come to light is a text conversation reportedly between the actress, LaBella, and the intimacy coordinator for the 2024 film, Celeste Cheney. This exchange happened the day after filming a particularly sensitive scene – one described as a ‘rape scene’ – and it’s now part of the legal complaint.
LaBella said she wanted to talk about what she considered a terrible event from the previous day, and suggested they discuss it when they both had time, according to screenshots shared by US Weekly.
A message appearing to be from Cheney replied, saying, “Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that, Devyn. Let’s discuss it.”
According to the complaint, LaBella then listed more than a dozen questions regarding the scene.
Honestly, I’m still reeling from hearing about this. It just doesn’t make any sense to me! I keep asking myself, why on earth wasn’t there someone there to protect her, an intimacy coordinator? And the stunt double… doing *that*? It wasn’t even a stunt! Especially considering how delicate the scene was, it’s just baffling. It feels like nobody even bothered to prepare properly, and it’s completely unacceptable. I’m so upset thinking about it – they just didn’t seem to care about her well-being at all!
She pressed on, asking why the scene wasn’t filmed privately. She questioned how preparing for a shot escalated into a sexual assault, and why someone from the camera crew was directing the unscripted moment.
LaBella ended the exchange by directly asking Cheney who would be held accountable for the mistreatment of power, carelessness, and lack of knowledge on the set.
In a different message, LaBella told Cheney she’d talked to the film’s line producer with a colleague named ‘Marshelle’ and that they had received an apology regarding the reported incident.
LaBella wrote that she was told Kevin had a lengthy conversation with Ella the previous day, during which he was apparently blamed for something and told to improve his behavior. The message indicated he would apologize and that this wouldn’t happen again, according to LaBella’s summary of the conversation.
Cheney responded: ‘Thanks for the update. I’m glad Jeff came to you and apologized.’
According to a revised legal document, Cheney documented LaBella’s concerns about how she was treated on set in an incident report.
According to the report, Cheney stated that Ella Hunt and Devyn received apologies from several people connected to the incident a few days after it happened.
Cheney explained that the way things happened wasn’t standardized or official. He suggested that ideally, Costner, the First Assistant Director, and other people involved should apologize to both Ella and Devyn.
Ella Hunt asked for the intimacy coordinator to return the next week to offer support, and the production team agreed. Devyn requested that production cover the cost of her flight home that weekend so she could connect with her family and friends for support, and they also agreed to that request.
In late May, the Daily Mail reported that LaBella was suing Kevin Costner and Territory Pictures, claiming issues during the production of his $100 million Western film series.
According to the lawsuit, LaBella was brought on as a stunt double for Ella, the main actress in Horizon 2, and was covered by a SAG contract. The complaint states her role involved taking Hunt’s place in action sequences and performing stunts.
LaBella claims that the actors’ union, SAG, prohibits unexpected requests for nudity or sexual acts during filming. Producers are required to provide a 48-hour advance notice for any such additions or changes.
Any adjustments to scenes involving intimacy also needed the performer’s approval. Furthermore, the contract with Hunt required an intimacy coordinator to be present during the filming of those scenes, according to the legal complaint.
Okay, so everything was apparently going smoothly on set for her, totally fine, until May 2nd, 2023. That’s when it happened – this… scene. She says it was unbelievably awful, like a sudden, violent attack that wasn’t in the script *at all*. And get this – she claims Costner just… did it. Completely improvised it, with no warning whatsoever! It’s just… I can’t even imagine how shocking and traumatic that must have been for her. It’s horrifying to think about, especially knowing how much I admire her work. He just *did* it, apparently.
According to the lawsuit, Hunt reportedly declined to film the scene, so LaBella was unexpectedly asked to step in as a replacement. This happened without any prior notice, preparation, or her agreement, and crucially, without a professional present to coordinate the intimate content.
The lawsuit alleges an actor was instructed to climb on top of a female actor, restrain her, and aggressively lift her skirt. The set wasn’t closed off to others, according to the complaint.
LaBella alleges the experience left her humiliated and traumatized.
The lawsuit alleges that LaBella participated in a pre-planned, simulated rape scene the day before, and that the scene was handled with professionalism.
In that scene, there were rehearsals, an intimacy coordinator was present, and the set was closed.
Singer immediately and strongly denied LaBella’s claims, stating they were entirely baseless and demonstrably false when compared to her own behavior and the available evidence.
The singer criticized LaBella, accusing her of using threatening methods to unfairly gain money from his famous client. He also described her as someone who frequently accuses people in the entertainment business.
Cassidy Geoghegan, one of LaBella’s lawyers, stated to Daily Mail that her client had no history of filing lawsuits, especially not against employers or anyone in Hollywood.
However, Geoghegan also mentioned that LaBella had once been reimbursed for tuition following a class action lawsuit against a famous actor’s acting school.
The Daily Mail first reported that a class action lawsuit has been filed against James Franco and his former acting school, Studio 4. The lawsuit alleges that Franco engaged in inappropriate and sexually exploitative behavior towards students at the school.
Franco maintained his innocence, but ultimately agreed to a $2.2 million settlement. About $1.3 million of this money went towards refunding tuition for students who attended Studio 4 from 2014 to 2017.
According to a 2018 article in the L.A. Times—the first to report on allegations against James Franco—actress Sarah LaBella stated that students at Studio 4 were frequently offered small parts in Franco’s films, but these roles often came with the expectation of additional work or required nudity.
Okay, so picture this: I was *obsessed* with getting noticed, but I didn’t have a manager or anything back then. It felt like the doors to all the amazing auditions were locked! So when I finally got a chance, I thought, ‘This is it! This might be my only shot to get my foot in the door,’ honestly. It was now or never!
LaBella explained that she and her classmates submitted their audition videos to a website, but none of them received a response.
It’s unclear how much LaBella recouped from the class action.
However, LaBella’s lawyer refuted the allegations made by Singer regarding her client’s standing in Hollywood, stating she does not have a bad reputation.
Honestly, I’ve been following her career for years, and it’s just *amazing* how consistently good she is, even when she’s working with someone as demanding as Kevin Costner! Everyone says she was a total pro on his set, and I totally believe it. She just always delivers, you know?
She reported the incident quickly, within a day of it occurring, and formally stated her legal rights shortly after filming finished. She’s been actively pursuing these claims ever since, remaining firm in her commitment to resolving the issue.
Read More
- Clash Royale Best Boss Bandit Champion decks
- RAVEN2 redeem codes and how to use them (October 2025)
- Kingdom Rush Battles Tower Tier List
- Delta Force Best Settings and Sensitivity Guide
- Clash Royale Furnace Evolution best decks guide
- Cookie Run: Kingdom Boss Rush Season 2-2 Guide and Tips
- eFootball 2026 Master League: Structure, Features, Release, and more
- Vampire’s Fall 2 redeem codes and how to use them (June 2025)
- Ninja Arashi 2 Shadow’s Return expands the hit ARPG sequel with more content, ahead of Ninja Arashi 3’s launch later this year
- Blade of God X: Orisols Soul Core Tier List
2025-10-17 17:11