Kevin Costner appeals for full dismissal of lawsuit accusing him of misconduct on Horizon set

Kevin Costner has appealed for the full dismissal of a s*xual harassment lawsuit filed against him by stunt performer Devyn LaBella. She alleged that she was forced to participate in an unscripted and unscheduled r*pe scene on the set of the film series Horizon.

This comes after a judge recently dismissed two out of LaBella’s ten claims in her lawsuit. However, Costner has now appealed the decision, aiming to get the remaining eight dismissed as well. He has denied the allegations, stating them as “absolutely false” and “deeply disappointing.” He stated that the claims were fabricated through false statements to damage his reputation.

Costner is an actor, producer, and director. He is known for his roles in films such as Dances with Wolves, The Untouchables, and The Bodyguard. He was awarded multiple prestigious awards, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

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Kevin Costner had earlier lost his bid to throw out the lawsuit

Kevin Costner had initially lost his bid to throw out a sexual harassment lawsuit accusing him of setting up an unscripted r*pe scene during the filming of Horizon 2.

Stunt performer Devyn LaBella filed the lawsuit in May 2025, claiming that she was forced to participate in the scene without prior notice or the presence of an intimacy coordinator, in violation of SAG-AFTRA regulations.

Kevin Costner's attorney, Marty Singer, sought to dismiss the lawsuit against him under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which aims to protect free speech from frivolous lawsuits. However, Judge Takasugi rejected the motion, ruling that the allegations made by LaBella against Kevin Costner are serious and credible, and therefore, they can proceed in court.

In his statement, the judge stated that the plaintiff submitted evidence which showed that she was a victim of an unplanned r*pe scene in the film. He further added that it was performed without a discussion, explanation, or a choreography session or an intimacy coordinator present at the scene.

The decision was applauded by LaBella’s attorney, Kate McFarlane. She said in her statement that the creative process cannot give men in power complete impunity to abuse women like Ms LaBella. She added:

“We were confident we would prevail against Defendants on this frivolous motion, and we did. We anticipate Defendants will continue to employ similar tactics in an attempt to prevent their despicable conduct from ever reaching the eyes and ears of a jury. We won’t back down.”

According to a report in Rolling Stone, LaBella signed with a leading stunt agency in 2016 after pivoting from acting to focus on stunt work. She is a former championship-winning gymnast who transitioned into acting and stunt performing. Yellowjackets, Barbie, and American Horror Stories are among the projects she has worked on as a stunt performer throughout her career. She is married to Alex Goyette, a director and screenwriter.

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Kevin Costner is not currently married. He recently finalized his divorce from Christine Baumgartner. The couple had been married for 18 years and are parents to three children, Cayden, Hayes, and Grace.

Baumgartner is now married to financier Josh Connor, nine months after their engagement in January this year.

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