Kevin Costner, the celebrated actor and filmmaker is embroiled in a legal battle. Stunt performer Devyn LaBella recently made extensive and alarming accusations against him. LaBella filed a lawsuit in California on Tuesday, claiming that Costner sexually harassed her during the production of “Horizon: An American Saga,” a four-part western anthology that he both wrote and directed. The complaint states that the incident in question occurred on May 2, 2023, during the production of the project.
“Horizon: An American Saga” features a compelling narrative and showcases Costner in the lead role. Chapter 1 of this highly ambitious project, which took the festival circuit by storm this past summer, debuted in June 2024 earning a worldwide box office of $38.7 million. Costner notably self-funded a significant portion of the production, contributing $38 million to the estimated $100 million budget for the first two chapters.
Devyn LaBella was the lead stunt double for actress Ella Hunt, who played Juliette in the film. In her suit, LaBella alleges that a male actor on set sexually harassed her. She goes on to tell the Committee that he “violently” raked up her skirt. The validity of this accusation has sparked national outrage and concerns regarding the treatment of performers as well as safety protocols on film sets.
In response to the allegations, Costner’s legal representative, Marty Singer, stated that the claims have “absolutely no merit” and are “completely contradicted by [LaBella’s] own actions and the facts.” Singer emphasized that Costner is committed to maintaining a comfortable and safe working environment for all involved in his productions.
“He always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously.” – Marty Singer
Despite the controversy, “Horizon: An American Saga” continues to draw attention. At Venice International Film Festival in September 2024, Chapter 2 made its world premiere. A widespread release date for this chapter has not yet been made public. The project has sparked a tremendous amount of buzz in industry circles and on the public-facing side as well.
In her complaint, LaBella cited one of Costner’s alleged text messages as evidence. She just wanted to intuitively, on set after we shot the scene, show her appreciation. The message read:
“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 to. Have a great rest of the shoot and yes talk soon!” – Devyn LaBella
This explosive text has raised many eyebrows, but left many wondering about the nature of her relationship with Costner. What does that mean for her recent statements to the contrary?
As this suit progresses, all of Tinseltown is reportedly hanging on every word. These advocates want to know how these allegations will impact Costner’s career and shape larger conversations around workplace safety and behavior in Hollywood. The result will have implications for subsequent productions and could establish the first real precedent for how these types of claims are handled in the entertainment industry.