Following the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins on set, filming on Alec Baldwin’s Rust will resume this week, production announced Tuesday (April 18th), a year and a half after the cinematographer died from a an accidental shot of the actor.
The making of this western on a ranch in New Mexico took a turn for the worse on October 21, 2021, when Alec Baldwin fired a weapon that was supposed to contain only blanks, but a very real projectile killed the cinematographer. Halyna Hutchins, 42, and injured director Joel Souza.
Charged with manslaughter, Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty. If the court case continues, filming should resume on Thursday in Montana. “The production will continue to use unionized crew members and will prohibit all use of work weapons and any form of ammunition,” production attorney Melina Spadone said in a statement provided to the Agency. France-Presse. “Live ammunition is – and always has been – prohibited on set,” she clarified.
This rare news item had shocked Hollywood and provoked calls to ban firearms on the sets. Known in particular for his role in the series 30 Rock, Alec Baldwin has always claimed his innocence. According to him, he was assured that his weapon was harmless, and he denies having pulled the trigger. An assertion questioned by many experts.
The 65-year-old actor, who is also the film’s co-producer, is currently under judicial supervision. In particular, he is prohibited from drinking alcohol and using firearms or dangerous weapons. Like him, the film’s gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is also charged with manslaughter. If convicted, the two defendants could face up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
At the end of March, the film’s first assistant director, Dave Halls, received a six-month suspended prison sentence. It was he who handed the gun at the heart of the drama to Alec Baldwin, assuring him that he was not dangerous, and he agreed to plead guilty.
Filming on the film is set to resume with Halyna Hutchins’ widower, Matthew, serving as executive producer. In October, he dropped his civil lawsuit against Alec Baldwin after an undisclosed settlement. The Ukrainian parents and the sister of the ex-director of photography, on the other hand, are still claiming civil damages.
