Actress Mia Goth has been hit with a lawsuit for allegedly kicking an extra in the head on purpose and then proceeding to verbally abuse him.
According to TMZ, which has seen the lawsuit, the alleged incident took place last year, in April 2023, during filming for an upcoming movie called MaXXXine.
The identity of the extra initially was not reported. But, Rolling Stone has since identified the extra as James Hunter.
The outlet also reports that, in addition to Goth, Hunter has also sued the film's director, Ti West, and the film's distributor, A24.
According to the court filing, Hunter claims not only that Goth physically assaulted him by kicking him in the head on purpose but also that Goth verbally assaulted him thereafter.
TMZ reports:
The background actor says the scene called for him to wear a robe and be covered in fake blood from head to toe . . . and he says he had to lay down in the dirt and play dead for several hours, 'enduring ants and mosquitoes.' Mia, who plays Maxine, was supposed to run past the actor, step over him and look at him, then keep running . . . but after a few takes, the actor claims Mia 'nearly stepped' on him.
It was at this point that Hunter claims that Goth "intentionally kicked" him in the head with her boot. Hunter claims that he was not given medical assistance on set for his injuries, but that he did see a doctor afterward and the doctor told him that the kick gave him a concussion.
Hunter, according to TMZ, is alleging both battery and wrongful termination.
Regarding the latter, Rolling Stone reports:
Hunter alleged that the casting agency told him the next day in an email that he was off the production. "Whatever happened, production does not want you back," the agency said, according to the lawsuit.
For his injuries, Hunter is requesting - at a minimum - $500,000 in damages. Hunter is also asking for punitive damages, which could significantly drive this figure up.
At the time of this writing, neither Goth nor A24 nor West has issued a statement on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is taking place in Los Angeles, California.
