The plot is beginning to thicken with the claims of sexual harassment, infliction of emotional distress, and discrimination being alleged by stunt performer Devyn LaBella. She has claimed that she endured all of this treatment while working onHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2, a film directed by and starring Kevin Costner. As the story continues to unfold, an intimacy coordinator on the project has come forward with a two-page report that adds some validity to LaBella’s claims.
Per Variety, the intimacy coordinator onHorizon 2, Celeste Chaney, points to several protocols that weren’t followed whilefilming an unscripted rape scenethat LaBella alleges she was asked to perform without any warning. In the report, Chaney says there were “numerous problems” with the particular scene, most notably that there was no intimacy coordinator present. Chaney also alleges that LaBella did not consent to Costner’s direction of the scene and that “She was put ‘on the spot’, placed in a vulnerable, compromising situation and then asked if she was ‘okay to continue’ with everyone standing by.” According to Chaney, “appropriate protocols were abandoned,” and she urged the production to have an intimacy coordinator present for “hyper-exposed scenes.”
“Intimacy coordinators should always be on set for these scenes to safeguard and support the actors, help the director achieve their vision and protect the production.”
What Were Devyn LaBella’s Claims?
Devyn LaBella sued Kevin Costner last month, who also served as a writer, producer and financier on the project, explaining that she suffered extreme humiliation after being asked to perform the unscripted rape scene without being warned beforehand. LaBella was a stunt performer for actress Ella Hunt, who portrayed Juliette in the film. Her lawsuit alleges that Hunt walked off set before the scene was to be performed, a sequence that was reportedly not in the script. According to her lawsuit, LaBella was asked to stand in for the scene, and Costner then instructed an actor to climb on top of her as he unbuttoned his pants and pulled up her skirt.
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Chaney’s contributions to the lawsuit were added in an amended claim on Jun. 18, and it also includes text messages between LaBella and the intimacy coordinator after the scene took place. In one of the texts, LaBella says that the line producer on the film apologized to her and said that Costner “needs to be brought up to the current times.” According to LaBella, since speaking up about the incident, she has suffered severe damage to her career and has not been hired as a stunt coordinator on a film since production onHorizon 2in May 2023.
For his part, Costner has denied LaBella’s allegations through his attorney, with his side saying that LaBella gave a “thumbs up” after rehearsing the scene and appeared to be in “good spirits” later on. LaBella fired back at his attorney’s claims, with her amended lawsuit stating that Costner’s side wants to brand her a “serial accuser” to damage her career further. LaBella said, “Once the line is crossed, there is no real choice left to make. I spoke up immediately. And for that, I was met with silence, deflection, and efforts to discredit me. This case is not just about what happened to me. It’s about a broken system that protects those in power and punishes those who speak out.”
BecauseHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1was considered a box office disappointment, the release ofChapter 2hasbeen delayed until further notice. Costner plans to get his saga out there, but with all of these issues coming to light, it looks doubtful that will happen anytime soon.
Source:Variety
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
