Mia Goth, star of the film “Pearl,” is facing a lawsuit from background actor James Hunter, who alleges that she intentionally kicked him in the head during the filming of a scene for the upcoming installment of the “X” trilogy, titled “MaXXXine.” The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, also names the film’s distributor, A24, and director Ti West as defendants, with Hunter claiming wrongful termination from the project.
According to reports from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Rolling Stone, the complaint states that Hunter, hired to play a “dead parishioner” lying in a pool of fake blood, experienced the alleged incident during a take in April. Goth reportedly almost stepped on his head while running past him. Subsequently, in another take, she is accused of intentionally kicking him in the head with her boot. This purportedly caused Hunter immediate symptoms of a headache and stiffness in his neck.
Hunter claims that despite reporting the injury to the production crew, who informed West and Goth, he did not receive medical assistance. After the scene, he alleges that Goth proceeded to “laugh at (Hunter); taunt, mock, and belittle (Hunter); and dare (Hunter) to do anything about it.” Rolling Stone reports that Hunter was diagnosed with a concussion after seeking medical attention at a hospital. The following day, his casting agency informed him that he was not wanted back on set.
TMZ initially reported the lawsuit, and we reached out to representatives for Mia Goth, A24, and Ti West for comments.
“MaXXXine” is set to conclude Ti West’s slasher trilogy, following “X” and its prequel “Pearl,” both released in 2022. The film, currently in post-production, does not have a confirmed release date. Goth, who portrayed the series’ villain, Pearl, is slated to reprise her role as Maxine in the upcoming installment.