Kevin Costner Unleashes Behind-the-Scenes Photos That Challenge Explosive On-Set Lawsuit

Academy Award–winning actor and filmmaker Kevin Costner has pushed back against serious claims made by stuntwoman Devyn LaBella by unveiling a set of behind-the-scenes images from
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2. The newly released photos, included in recent court filings, appear to show LaBella smiling and at ease during the filming of a wagon-scene sequence she later described as a “violent, unscripted rape.”

In her lawsuit filed earlier this year, LaBella alleged she was pressured into performing an unplanned and unsafe scene that left her shaken and exposed. But according to Costner’s sworn declaration, the moment in question was carefully choreographed, strictly limited in scope, and never intended to depict a sexual act on screen.

The photos included in his response show LaBella in full costume, wearing bike shorts beneath her period dress, calmly rehearsing with fellow actor Roger Ivens. Costner insists that what was filmed amounted to no more than a lifted hemline and a staged position designed to suggest the threat of an assault — with no nudity, no simulated sex, and no physical struggle.

“This was not a violent rape scene,” Costner explained in his filing. “It was a simple, quick shot meant to convey what would happen off-screen. Devyn’s privacy was fully maintained, and at no point did she express distress.”

Costner also submitted statements from crew members who back his version of events. Additionally, he pointed to a text message LaBella sent to a supervisor after wrapping her work on
Horizon, where she thanked the team for “wonderful weeks” and shared that she was “really happy it worked out the way it did.”

LaBella’s legal team, however, maintains that her account is truthful and supported by evidence, including text exchanges with the film’s intimacy coordinator. In a statement, she described the experience as “a reckless violation” and emphasized that compliance under pressure should never be mistaken for consent.

Her attorneys argue that the lawsuit is about more than one incident, framing it as a broader call for accountability and workplace safety within the entertainment industry.

For now, the courtroom battle continues — with Costner’s latest filings aiming to dismiss the case altogether, and LaBella standing firm that her voice will not be silenced.