Stuntwoman’s Texts Intensify Kevin Costner ‘Horizon 2’ Suit
Here’s the lowdown with no fluff: stunt professional Devyn LaBella has bolstered her sexual harassment and retaliation claim against Kevin Costner by surfacing alleged text messages to the ‘Horizon 2’ intimacy coordinator. In her amended complaint—obtained by TMZ and reviewed by sources at Variety—LaBella asserts she sent a message the day after a harrowing on-set incident on May 2, 2023. She wrote, “I wanted to discuss yesterday’s abomination when we both have a chance … I was put in a really wrong position and it’s really affected me.”
According to court documents, LaBella says intimacy coordinator Celeste Cheney both received and responded to these texts. In further messages, the stuntwoman lists pointed questions about what she describes as an unscheduled “violent rape scene,” allegedly directed by Costner himself. LaBella’s lawsuit contends there was no contractually mandated intimacy coordinator present on that May shoot day, and that Costner was “either involved in or fully aware of every single thing going on.”
The complaint details how Costner purportedly instructed actor Roger Ivens to “violently rustle” LaBella’s skirt, pinning her down “as if trying to penetrate her against her will.” LaBella brands the encounter an “abomination,” charging that it transcended any choreographed stunt. Her suit lays out three causes of action: sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation—claiming that after she spoke up, production retaliated against her professional prospects.
Costner’s legal team, led by high-profile attorney Marty Singer, issued a forceful denial to TMZ, calling the allegations “absolutely meritless” and labeling LaBella a “serial accuser” within Hollywood circles. Singer insists Costner had no involvement in staging anything beyond a standard action sequence. People Magazine reporters note that these new texts could prove pivotal in court, offering contemporaneous evidence of LaBella’s distress.
Industry insiders tell Variety that intimate scenes now face increased scrutiny after multiple high-profile disputes, from Season 5 of Stranger Things to indie features. If LaBella’s texts are admitted, they could underscore a failure by ‘Horizon 2’ production to adhere to best practices laid out by SAG-AFTRA and Intimacy Directors International.
The lawsuit remains pending in California superior court, and a discovery phase is set to unveil private call logs and emails that both sides hope will validate their versions of events. We’ve reached out to Kevin Costner’s camp for comment via his publicist and are awaiting their response.
What’s next is a question of timing: will Costner’s lawyers file a motion to dismiss before depositions? Will LaBella secure evidence that opens the door to settlement talks? That’s the crux, and you’ll want your front-row seat. And there you have it. Draw your own conclusions.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TМZ, Variety, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
