Kevin Costner has filed a declaration in Los Angeles Superior Court calling the sexual harassment lawsuit filed by stunt performer Devyn LaBella a 'bold-faced lie'. The actor, who directed and starred in the upcoming Western sequel 'Horizon', is seeking to have the case dismissed under California's anti-SLAPP statute.
LaBella, who describes herself as the lead stunt double for actress Ella Hunt, filed her lawsuit on May 27, 2025. She alleges that on May 2, 2023, Costner directed an unscripted rape scene that left her with permanent trauma. The suit also claims violations of SAG-AFTRA protocols and seeks unspecified damages, as well as an order requiring an intimacy coordinator on Costner's future films.
In his declaration, Costner insists the allegations are false and designed to damage his reputation. 'My belief is that Devyn's claims were designed, through the use of false statements and sensationalistic language, to damage my reputation,' he states. His legal team has submitted a memorandum supported by sworn testimony from a dozen crew members and real-time photographs, arguing that LaBella's lawsuit is 'just as fictional as the motion picture'.
Intimacy coordinator Celeste Chaney, who worked on the film, has backed LaBella's account, stating the scene was 'unexpectedly sprung' on the actors and that proper protocols were not followed. However, Costner's filing includes a text from LaBella to her supervisor sent just over a week after the alleged incident, which they claim shows gratitude and undermines her accusations.
A hearing on the motion to strike is scheduled for September 18 in Los Angeles. Costner's lawyer previously described the lawsuit as a 'shakedown'.
