Kevin Costner Drama Deepens As Co-Star Sidesteps Scandal

For months, Kevin Costner has been battling a lawsuit that continues to cast a growing shadow over his newest projects, yet those who have worked beside him remain largely silent.

The tension surrounding the actor’s legal fight deepened when a longtime “Yellowstone” castmate praised him openly, only to immediately sidestep the very topic dominating headlines.

That awkward moment has only fueled more curiosity.

Costner’s legal troubles escalated earlier this year when stunt performer Devyn LaBella filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles alleging she was “the victim of a violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene” during the filming of “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2,” a movie Costner directed.

Working as a double for actress Ella Hunt, LaBella claimed the experience left her with a range of damages, including sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, hostile work environment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

By mid-October, two of her ten claims had been dismissed, one for sexual harassment and another tied to the Bane Act.

Still, the remaining allegations depict a troubling picture. LaBella asserted that Costner and the defendants “acted despicably and subjected Ms. LaBella to cruel and unjust hardship,” further accusing them of “malicious, fraudulent, and oppressive conduct.”

Costner has denied the allegations, but the case has stirred intense discussion within the entertainment industry, especially as more details emerge.

While the legal battle gains traction, Jefferson White, who portrayed Jimmy Hurdstrom for seven seasons on “Yellowstone,” offered a drastically different impression of working alongside Costner.

White described meeting the actor as surreal, explaining to the Daily Mail, “Meeting him, it always kind of lined up with the character on the show for me that John Dutton in that universe is kind of a legend. And to Jimmy, when he meets John Dutton, he’s like meeting a living legend.”

He added that interacting with Costner felt remarkably grounded, saying, “It always felt like that, meeting Kevin for me. And then it was also amazing just how present he was, how much he really authentically cared.”

Reflecting on Costner’s work ethic, White emphasized, “When you’ve done it for that long, you can sort of start phoning it in if you really want to, and he never did. He really very authentically cared very much.”

White called his on-set experiences a privilege. He shared, “It’s like those [scenes] are masterclasses, that’s such a gift. It’s like you get to catch passes from one of the great quarterbacks in history. It’s such a rare and precious opportunity.”

He noted Costner’s collaborative nature, sharing that the veteran actor “liked to rehearse,” “liked to talk through stuff,” and “really took it very seriously,” creating an atmosphere where “everybody on that set loved it and wanted it to be the best thing that it could possibly be.”

However, when the subject turned to the lawsuit, everything shifted.

Jefferson White’s tone changed immediately when asked about the lawsuit dominating headlines.

“I actually don’t know anything about that,” he said, even though the case has circulated widely for seven months.

When told the suit involved a stuntwoman alleging misconduct during “Horizon,” White repeated, “I have not heard anything about this. Yeah, I’m not sure.”

It was an abrupt pivot, one that contrasted sharply with his willingness to speak at length about Costner’s on-set presence.

Instead of addressing the controversy, White shifted to praising the stunt team he worked with on “Yellowstone.”

He highlighted his primary stunt double, Bobby Roberts, stating, “On Yellowstone, I had an incredible series of stunt men. Bobby Roberts was my primary stuntman on Yellowstone because he was a real bronc rider. So anytime I had to do a bucking sequence on that show, that was almost always Bobby Roberts.”

White added, “Sometimes you’re pretending to get shot. Sometimes somebody much braver than you is getting shot. They do it with all sorts of tricks.”

The interview arrived at a moment of major transition.

“Yellowstone” officially ended in 2024 after reported tension between Costner and series creator Taylor Sheridan, reportedly over scheduling issues and creative differences.

Still, the franchise lives on. Prequels “1883” and “1923” expanded Sheridan’s universe, and another sequel, “Y: Marshals,” is set to debut in March 2026.

As for whether fans might see Jefferson White reprise his role in a spinoff, he said, “Not that I know of now… I kept my fingers crossed, but also, I’d be grateful if I got to do more and I’m grateful for what I got to do. I don’t want to be selfish. We got a lot of great mileage out of that show.”

White described his time on the hit series as life-altering, comparing it to “winning the lottery,” and noting that performing on a show for seven years is a “rare and lucky thing.”

Since leaving “Yellowstone,” he has already filmed 11 movies and is preparing to appear as Mr. McCoy in “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”

Meanwhile, Costner remains embroiled in the lawsuit as he continues filming Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3. His attorneys recently appealed to have the remaining claims dismissed.

Costner’s lawyer Marty Singer said, “We were pleased to learn that the Court granted our anti-SLAPP motion in part, dismissing two of the plaintiff’s claims (including one of her claims for sexual harassment).”

Singer added that while they were “disappointed” other claims were allowed to proceed, he maintained that the accusations lack evidence. He stressed, “In spite of the plaintiff’s outlandish allegations, there was never any ‘simulated rape,’ ‘simulated sex’ or sexual harassment’ — and absolutely no retaliation.” He noted that LaBella “is seeking millions of dollars for agreeing to participate in the rehearsal of a single, benign shot that even she admits was explained to her in advance.”

Costner’s team expressed confidence, vowing to “continue to fight for the truth” and stating they are “extremely confident we will prevail.” LaBella’s attorneys, however, maintain that their client “was subjected to an unscripted, unplanned violent rape scene, which is the basis for her suit.”

Her lawyer, Kate McFarlane, argued, “The logical conclusion of the Defense argument is that you can rape or kill someone so long as it’s part of the ‘creative process.’ The creative process cannot be used as a shield for unlawful conduct.”

While a December hearing was postponed, the next court appearance is expected in March.