One year after the tragic accident that took her life, many are paying tribute to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. On Oct. 21, 2021, Hutchins had been in New Mexico working on Joel Souza's Western movie Rust. While preparing for a scene, a live round was discharged from a prop gun held by Alec Baldwin that injured Souza and killed Hutchins. Production was halted and a criminal investigation was launched, though production on the film will resume in January with the blessing of Hutchins' family.
Taking to Instagram, Baldwin joined those honoring Hutching by posting a photo of the late cinematographer on set doing what she loved. In the caption, Baldwin simply wrote, "One year ago today..."
While what happened on the set of Rust was a tragic accident, that does not mean that there will not be anyone held accountable. No criminal charges have been filed against any specific person at this time, though the investigation remains ongoing and that could still end up happening. In commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the accident, the Santa Fe District Attorney's office released a statement (per Deadline) warning that charges could be coming soon with the final report expected to arrive in the near future.
The statement reads, “On the anniversary of the tragedy on the Rust film set in Santa Fe County, District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis remains committed to pursuing justice for the victims, and getting answers for the community. As soon as the District Attorney receives the full report from the Santa Fe County Sheriff, she and her team of professional attorneys and investigators will thoroughly review all the evidence and make a thoughtful decision about whether to bring charges against those involved. No one is above the law and every victim deserves justice.”
Rust Will Be Finished
After the tragedy, Halyna Hutchins' widower, Matthew Hutchins, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and others involved with the film's production. The lawsuit has since been settled, and as part of the agreement, Matthew Hutchins has boarded the project as an executive producer. He has given his blessing for Baldwin and the filmmakers to complete the movie as a way of honoring Halyna. He also said he did not blame Baldwin or any one person for what happened, noting that it was a tragic accident.
"I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin)," Hutchins said in a statement. "All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”
Rust will reportedly start filming in early 2023, but not at the same set in New Mexico where the accident happened. The producers are actively searching for a new filming location with California looking like a probable option. It's not yet clear when the movie will be released.