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A stunt actress has Kevin Costner and the production companies behind Horizon: To American Saga – Chapter 2 sued because of a rape scene that is supposedly not intended in the script. In the lawsuit, Devyn Labella Kevin Costner accuses you in advance nor asked to have your consent to admission. And to have not consulted a mandatory intimacy coordinator during the scene.
Lawsuit about sexual discrimination and harassment
Labella sued the production companies and costers for sexual discrimination, harassment and creation of an hostile work environment. She also claims that after reporting the incident she had received retaliation, since she was not recalled for further work on the film series or the stunt coordinator, who had previously been involved.
Statement by Devyn Labella
“On this day I was exposed, unprotected and deeply cheated by a system that had promised me security and professionalism,” said Labella opposite The Hollywood Reporterwho published the news on Tuesday. “What happened to me destroyed my trust. And my view of this industry changed forever.”
Marty Singer, Costner’s lawyer, said to Rolling Stonethat the lawsuit is “absolutely unfounded”. And “through [LaBellas] own behavior – and the facts – is completely refuted ”.
“”[Costner] Always want to ensure that everyone feels comfortable when working on his films. He takes the security on the set very seriously, ”said Singer. And added an alleged screenshot of a text message in which Labella thanked the stunt coordinator for her“ wonderful weeks ”on the set.
Role of Devyn Labella as a stunt double by Ella Hunt
According to the lawsuit, Labella for “Horizon 2” was hired as a stunt double for actress Ella Hunt. In the lawsuit it is claimed that Hunt has negotiated an obligatory intimacy coordinator for all nude scenes or intimate scenes. (SAG-AFTRA also requires that intimate scenes correspond to regulations that provide for the consent of the actors and a closed set.)
Labella initially claimed that everything went well because the rape scene came in detail from a script. And also rehearsed with an intimacy coordinator and a stunt coordinator. The following day, May 2, 2023, these rules were not met when Costner Labella asked, to represent Hunt in an unplanned scene of sexual violence with a different character, played by Roger Ivens. (Hunt supposedly refused to play the scene.)
Details of the alleged violent scene
“Mr. Ivens violent Ms. Labella. As if he wanted to penetrate her against her will,” says the lawsuit, in which it is claimed that the scene had not been rehearsed, was not an intimate coordinator present and the actions for the crew were visible.
Costner’s lawyer denied the allegations. “As a stunt actress at Horizon 2 Ms. Labella was explained the scene in question. And after she had carried out the rehearsal with another actor in her role, she gave her stunt coordinator a ‘thumb’. She signaled her willingness to shoot the scene if necessary (which was not the case), ”wrote Singer.
Emotional stress and career collapse
In her lawsuit, Labella claims that she was “scared” after the incident and had expressed her concerns about the stunt coordinators and the film’s intimacy coordinator. She also claimed that after this incident, her career “came to a standstill” and she felt ‘worthless’. However, Singer claimed that “she was in a good mood and no complaints” to the stunt coordinators involved in the film. Not even during dinner on the evening of the alleged incident.
Required jury decision on sentence replacement
Labella and her lawyers apply for a jury to decide on the authorization of punishment. According to the lawsuit, the lawsuit not only aims at compensation. But also to “address the persistent failures of the highest levels of the Hollywood production companies, to understand and address the effects of the representation in sexually explicit and violent ‘scenes’ and the need for intimacy coordination”.