Kevin Costner Fires Back at Lawsuit Over Horizon Rape Scene, Calls Claims a ‘Bold-Faced Lie’

The actor-director has filed a motion to dismiss a stunt professional’s lawsuit, accusing her of fabricating claims of sexual assault on the set of his film Horizon to damage his reputation and career.

August 20, 2025: Actor and director Kevin Costner has launched a strong legal defense against a lawsuit from a stunt performer who alleged she was forced to perform an unscripted, violent rape scene on the set of his film Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2. In a declaration filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, Costner called the accusations “patently false” and “deeply disappointing.”

The lawsuit, filed in May by stunt performer Devyn LaBella, alleges that during a May 2023 shoot for the film, Costner improvised a scene where a male actor would “violently” pin her down and simulate sexual assault without her consent, an intimacy coordinator, or proper safety protocols. LaBella, who was the stunt double for actress Ella Hunt, claims she was called in for the scene after Hunt reportedly declined to perform it.

In his legal filing, Costner fired back at the claims. “I can only assume that purpose was to use this sensationalistic language to embarrass and damage me and the Horizon movies on an ongoing basis in order to gain a massive and unjustified payday,” he stated in the declaration, as per Variety. He argued that the scene was not a “simulated rape” but an “artistic shot designed to imply what was going to happen off-screen.”

To support his defense, Costner and his legal team have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which is designed to protect free speech on matters of public concern. His legal team argues that the film’s depiction of the “horrific struggles endured by women” in the post-Civil War American West is a matter of public interest and therefore qualifies for protection.

The filing includes declarations from several other crew members who have contradicted LaBella’s account of the incident. It also presented alleged text messages from LaBella to her supervisor, where she wrote, “Thank you for these wonderful weeks! I so appreciate you! I learned so much and thank you again.”

LaBella’s attorney, Jeff Vagnini, has dismissed Costner’s filing as a “baseless motion” and a “desperate delay tactic.” The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages for sexual harassment and emotional trauma, remains a significant legal and reputational battle for the veteran actor.