Movies

Last Take Honors Halyna Hutchins in an Unflinching Look at What Led to the Rust Shooting

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On October 21, 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins tragically lost her life after being accidentally shot by a prop gun carrying live rounds on the set of the indie Western movie, “Rust.” The production was taking place in Bonanza City, New Mexico. The film’s author and director, Joel Souza, was also injured but managed to recover. This devastating incident reverberated throughout the entertainment industry and garnered worldwide attention, largely due to the fact that main actor Alec Baldwin was wielding the prop gun at the time, and because live ammunition had been found on the movie set.

Afterward, the inquiry into the incident, including how live bullets found their way onto a movie set, gained global attention. This was followed by numerous lawsuits and court cases. Notably, Alec Baldwin, who was also a producer for the film, as well as Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the production’s property key assistant and armorer, were both indicted on one count of involuntary manslaughter.

On March 11th, a 90-minute documentary titled “Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna” will make its debut on Hulu. This film delves into the human narrative surrounding the “Rust” incident, honors Halyna Hutchins, and examines the legal fallout that followed. Directed by Hutchins’ friend Rachel Mason, “Last Take” showcases behind-the-scenes footage from the movie’s set and incorporates interviews with various individuals who worked on “Rust”, such as Souza, first assistant director Dave Halls, members of Halyna Hutchins’ camera crew team, law enforcement officials, and special prosecutor Kari Morrissey.

Through “Last Take,” viewers journey chronologically through the harrowing events preceding a devastating shooting incident. Simultaneously, it pays tribute to the gifted cameraman at the heart of the tragedy and sparks debate about workplace safety on movie sets. Frequently, the priority given to adhering to filming timelines can result in the disregard of essential safety measures.

Let’s take a closer look at what happened the day of the Rust shooting, and the legal aftermath.

Who was Halyna Hutchins?

Halyna Hutchins was born as Halyna Anatoliivna Androsovych to a Ukrainian family in 1979. She pursued international journalism and began her career working on documentaries in Eastern Europe. Later, she relocated to Los Angeles, where she obtained her master’s degree from the American Film Institute Conservatory.

Before working on Rust, Hutchins had mostly been involved in low-budget and short films. In 2019, American Cinematographer magazine recognized her as one of ten rising directors of photography, a distinction that caught the eye of Rust director Joel Souza. According to Last Take, Souza was keen on working with Hutchins after reading about her in this issue. Last Take further reveals that Hutchins was eager to work on Rust since it would have been her first Western project.

On October 6, 2021, Rust entered production. Tragically, Hutchins was working on set on October 21 when she was accidentally killed by a live round from a prop gun that Baldwin had been using during rehearsals. She passed away later that day at the age of 42.

Who is Hannah Gutierrez-Reed?

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed served as the weapons specialist on the film set of “Rust”. She is the stepdaughter of Thell Reed, a longtime movie armorer who gained prominence for his work in Westerns such as “Tombstone” (1993) and “The Quick and the Dead” (1995).

I wasn’t given an interview opportunity for Last Take, but you can find me in police interrogation videos and body camera footage instead.

Although it doesn’t explicitly accuse Gutierrez-Reed, Last Take highlights several aspects concerning her role on the Rust set. These include her limited work experience, as she was just 24 years old in 2021, and the challenging situation where she was handling two jobs, potentially leading to haste when ensuring the safety of every prop gun before use.

Following an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Gutierrez-Reed faced one count of involuntary manslaughter as she had loaded the prop gun that resulted in Hutchins’ death. Additionally, she was charged with tampering with evidence, but was eventually cleared of those charges. On March 6, 2024, a jury convicted Gutierrez-Reed and sentenced her to serve 18 months in prison.

After receiving her sentence, Gutierrez-Reed, who attributed the shooting to the movie’s management, appealed to the Santa Fe judge for leniency rather than the maximum prison term. “Your Honor,” she pleaded, “when I accepted the role in Rust, I was young and inexperienced. However, I took my responsibilities as seriously as I knew how.” “I implore you, please, don’t sentence me to more time. The jury found me partially responsible for this devastating incident, but that doesn’t make me a monster. It makes me human.

Did anyone raise safety concerns before the shooting?

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’d express it this way:

Indeed, the documentary Last Take delves into the story of Lane Luper, Rust’s initial camera assistant. He chose to step down just a day before filming, voicing concerns over the handling of firearms on set. When asked about his decision to quit, he shared with the filmmakers: “For me, it seemed they weren’t truly concerned about our safety. We yearned for them to address these issues, and I fearlessly admitted that someone might get injured if things didn’t change.

In the days prior to the incident, Luper grew increasingly concerned as he observed careless gun handling on set, with weapons being mishandled and even accidentally fired. This behavior made him uneasy, stating, “The way firearms were handled and pointed at people started to worry me.” However, when Luper brought up his concerns about two consecutive accidents by texting the producers, they did not take action.

In simpler terms, Luper expressed that the individuals responsible for overseeing production, often referred to as producers and the “adults in the room,” should have acted maturely and addressed safety concerns promptly. Unfortunately, according to Luper, this did not occur on the set of the film. The producers of Rust did not comment on Luper’s allegations in Last Take, but in response to claims about on-set safety issues in 2021, they stated that no official complaints regarding weapon or prop safety were reported to them, although they will review their safety procedures during production downtime.

Following the incident, an extra five live bullets were found on the set of Rust, with some located on Alec Baldwin’s gun belt and others atop the cart used for storing props by the crew.

What has Alec Baldwin said about the shooting, and where does his legal case currently stand?

Baldwin consistently maintains he’s not accountable for Hutchins’ demise, stating he was informed the prop weapon had no live bullets and that such ammo is prohibited on film sets. However, it’s been argued by prosecutors that forensic evidence suggests the gun could have discharged only if the trigger was pulled – a claim Baldwin has denied.

On October 22nd, 2021, following the heartbreaking tragedy, I penned down on social media: “I am left speechless by the shock and sorrow that surrounds the unfortunate accident claiming the life of Halyna Hutchins – a cherished partner, a loving mother, and an incredibly respected collaborator. Our hearts go out to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.

I’m actively assisting the authorities in understanding what led to this unfortunate event, and I’ve been reaching out to her husband, expressing my sympathy and providing comfort during this difficult time. Deeply saddened, my thoughts are with her husband, their child, and everyone who was close to Halyna.

In response to the involuntary manslaughter charge regarding Halyna Hutchins’ death, Baldwin’s lawyer declared that this verdict distorts the tragic circumstances of her demise and constitutes a grave injustice. It was never in Mr. Baldwin’s knowledge that there was a live bullet in the weapon—or anywhere on the film set. He placed his trust in the experts with whom he collaborated, who assured him the gun did not contain live ammunition. We will contest these charges and emerge victorious.

Lately, Baldwin has discussed his feelings regarding the Rust shooting on TLC’s reality show, The Baldwins, which includes his wife Hilaria and their seven children. On the show, Hilaria says to the cameras, “A son lost his mother in an unimaginable tragedy. We never forget this, and we’re trying to be parents amidst it all while also considering Hutchins’ widower and son, who was only 10 at the time of the shooting.” Meanwhile, Baldwin is depicted shedding tears, battling post-traumatic stress, and dealing with intensifying OCD as he prepares for a manslaughter trial.

In July 2024, a judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Alec Baldwin, based on prejudice, following the defense attorney Alex Spiro’s claim that the prosecutors had withheld evidence of potentially related ammunition involved in the fatal incident.

On December 23, 2024, Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey attempted to challenge the judge’s ruling, but New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez’s office opted against continuing the appeal on behalf of the prosecution.

In the documentary titled “Last Take“, Baldwin was not personally interviewed, but his presence can be seen on body camera footage and during police interrogations.

What has Halyna Hutchins’ family said?

In October 2022, Rust Movie Productions and Halyna Hutchins’ family came to an agreement. Matt Hutchins stated, “I don’t want to point fingers or place blame (either on the producers or Mr. Baldwin). We all believe that Halyna’s death was a tragic accident. I am thankful that the producers and the entertainment industry have come together to honor Halyna’s last work.

Contrarily to previous reports, Matt Hutchins asserts that he didn’t receive the settlement promptly because New Mexico withdrew the film’s tax credits, originally intended to cover some of the settlement costs. Later on, Matt was appointed an executive producer for Rust, which resumed shooting in April 2023 and had its premiere at Camerimage, Poland, last autumn.

Olga Solovey, Hutchins’ mother, has spoken out against Baldwin’s reaction following the unfortunate incident where her daughter was accidentally killed. In November 2024, she claimed that Baldwin had refused to apologize for this tragic accident and further alleged that he was trying to unfairly capitalize on the tragedy. However, Baldwin has denied these allegations, calling them “completely unfounded.

Originally, Solovey expressed his desire to witness his daughter’s work debut in Poland. Tragically, this dream was taken from him when Alec Baldwin accidentally fired a gun and took my daughter’s life. To add insult to injury, Baldwin has shown no remorse or accountability for her death by refusing to apologize and continuing to profit from the project that led to her demise. This callous behavior is why I have decided not to participate in the festival promoting Rust, especially given the ongoing lack of justice for my daughter.

In May 2025, Baldwin is expected to be removed from his position due to his involvement in the on-set shooting, as a civil lawsuit has been filed by Anatolii Androsovych (Hutchins’ father), Hutchins’ mother, and Svetlana Zemko (Hutchins’ sister) against Baldwin, Rust Movie Productions, and film producers. The lawsuit claims that they consistently disregarded safety guidelines related to the use of firearms on the set of Rust.

Gloria Allred, the family’s attorney, explicitly criticized the Baldwins’ TLC reality show, stating that it failed to acknowledge the fact that he forcibly removed a child from her biological parents.

Now that Alec Baldwin is no longer facing criminal charges, it’s high time for him to acknowledge and deal with the actual repercussions he has brought upon Halyna’s family and parents.

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2025-03-11 21:06

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