Mia Goth sued by MaXXXine background actor who claims she 'intentionally' kicked him in the head

Mia Goth is at the center of a lawsuit regarding an alleged incident on the set of her upcoming horror film, MaXXXine. 

Background actor James Hunter has accused the actress of committing battery and having him wrongfully terminated from the movie after he spoke out against her, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. Goth, writer-director Ti West, and film studio A24 have all been named as defendants in the suit.

Hunter further alleges that he suffered a concussion after the incident and is seeking $250,000 for “medical expenses,” “rehabilitation,” and "related expenses," along with “punitive and/or exemplary damages.”

In the lawsuit, Hunter claims he was hired for three days in April 2023 to play a dead parishioner in MaXXXine, the final horror flick in West's X trilogy. Per the filing, the actor was told to lie in the dirt for “several hours,” where he endured “ants and mosquitoes.” During the fourth take of a scene that involved Goth running and stepping over him, she nearly stepped on Hunter, prompting him to tell the second assistant director, who “warned” her to “be careful.”

Hunter alleges that Goth then “intentionally kicked” him in the head during the next take. 

He claims that once the scene was completed, Goth confronted him in the bathroom, where she “taunted, mocked, and belittled” him, daring him to do anything about it. The next day, he says, his casting agency informed him that production did not want him back for his remaining two days. He also claims he was “banned” from the movie set.

In terms of his injuries, Hunter said that on the day of the alleged kick, he felt lightheaded driving home and had to pull over twice. He experienced “head trauma symptoms,” including “loss of memory, confusion, and disorientation,” and eventually went to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a concussion. He also alleged to having “bruises and red marks” on his head after the kick.

The suit accuses Goth of battery and also includes a wrongful termination claim against her, A24, and West.

Representatives for Mia Goth, Ti West, and A24 did not respond to EW’s request for comment.

The upcoming horror film marks the third collaboration between the filmmaker and actress, and is set to conclude the slasher trilogy that includes X and its prequel, Pearl. The 2022 films were shot consecutively in New Zealand.

MaXXXine features a star-studded cast that also includes Halsey, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki, Lily Collins, Bobby Cannavale, Giancarlo Esposito, Moses Sumney, and Michelle Monaghan. Its release date has not yet been announced.

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