A year after cinematographer Halina Hutchence was killed in an on-set shooting rust, her family has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the production. Settlement plans to resume shooting in January with her husband Matthew Hutchins as executive producer.
“I have no interest in blaming or blaming (the producers or Mr. Baldwin),” Hutchins said in a statement. “We all believe that Halina’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that producers and the entertainment community came together to pay tribute to Halina’s final act.
Under contract, the filming of rust will continue with “all original principal players on board”. Further details of the settlement were not disclosed.
“Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained a certain desire to do what is best for Halina’s son,” Alec Baldwin’s attorney Luke Nikas said in a statement. Contributed to the resolution of a tragic and painful situation.
“We are pleased that the parties have come together to resolve this matter, subject to court approval, to celebrate Halina’s life and honor her work,” Rust Movie Productions, through its attorney Melina Spadone, added. It’s an important step.”
The cinematographer, who was 42 at the time of her death, was killed on October 21, 2021, when a prop gun Baldwin was carrying went off. Her family filed a lawsuit against the production in February, alleging at least 15 violations of industry standards on set. The suit points to the absence of armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reid from the room when the actor received the weapon from the first assistant director, saying it was unnecessary for him to use the revolver to fire the shot.
According to several suits against the film’s producers, including lawsuits by Hitchens and script supervisor Mamie Mitchell, the production was plagued by safety problems, including alleged guns. Industry norms regarding the use of . There were two more misfires before Hutchins was killed, Baldwin’s stunt accidentally fired a blank and a prop master shot himself in the foot.
In a statement, director Joel Souza said, “Any decision to return to finish directing the film, to repair my own efforts, would only make sense for me if it was in the best interest of Matt and the Hutchison family. done with inclusiveness. Although it is certainly bittersweet, I am happy that we will now be able to finish together what Halina and I started. My every effort on this film has been to honor Halina’s legacy and Will be dedicated to make him proud. It’s an honor to see him on his side.”
The Santa Fe County District Attorney’s Office is still considering whether to pursue charges. It said in a statement that the proposed settlement would not affect the decision.
“While civil suits are settled privately and often involve monetary awards, criminal cases deal only with facts,” the statement said. “If you guarantee the charges, then the charges will be laid. No one is above the law.”
In April, the New Mexico Bureau of Occupational Health and Safety found multiple violations of safety protocols. rustincluding the introduction of live ammunition and failure to train staff on the proper handling of firearms. He issued the highest citation and maximum fine under state law of $136,793.
The FBI determined in August that the gun could not have been fired without pulling the trigger, which Baldwin maintains he did not.
October 5, 11:20 p.m This story has been updated with a statement from the Santa Fe County District Attorney’s Office. The Hollywood Reporter.