"Pearl" star Mia Goth is reportedly being sued by a background actor who is accusing the actor of intentionally kicking him in the head while filming a scene from her upcoming "X" trilogy installment, "MaXXXine."
The performer, James Hunter, filed the lawsuit, in which he accuses Goth, 30, of battery, in Los Angeles Superior Court this week, according to Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Rolling Stone. The film's distributor, A24, and director Ti West are also named as defendants; Hunter alleges he was wrongfully terminated from the project.
In the complaint, Hunter says he was hired to play a "dead parishioner" lying in a pool of fake blood, and during one of the takes last April, Goth nearly stepped on his head while running past him, according to Variety. After he reported this, in a following take Goth "intentionally kicked plaintiff in the head with her boot," which caused him to "immediately experience headache and stiffness in his neck," Rolling Stone reports.
Per Rolling Stone, Hunter says that despite reporting the injury to the production crew, who informed West and Goth, he was not offered medical assistance. After the scene, Hunter alleges, Goth "laughed at (Hunter); taunted, mocked and belittled (Hunter); and dared (Hunter) to do anything about it," according to the outlet.
The complaint also alleges he was diagnosed with a concussion after a trip to a hospital, Rolling Stone reports, and the next day, Hunter's casting agency informed him that he was not wanted back on set.
TMZ was first to report the news. USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Goth, A24 and West for comment.
"MaXXXine" is slated to round out West's slasher trilogy, which includes "X" and its prequel "Pearl," both released in 2022. The film, currently in post-production, does not have a release date yet. Goth, who also played the series' villain, Pearl, will reprise her role as Maxine.
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