Nearly 18 months after the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Alec Baldwin’s Rust, the upcoming western film’s crew has set a date to resume production.
Try Paramount+ FREE for a week. Subscribe here to watch your favorite shows.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Rust will resume principal photography on Thursday (April 20th) at the Yellowstone Film Ranch. Melina Spadone, the attorney for Rust Movie Productions, released a statement about the news. “The production will continue to utilize union crew members and will bar any use of working weapons and any form of ammunition. Live ammunition is — and always was — prohibited on set.”
The decision to resume the production of Rust also comes just months after Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. While on the film’s set in October 2021, the gun Baldwin was holding discharged. The accident caused the death of Hutchins and injured Rust’s director, Joel Souza.
In response to the charges, Baldwin formally entered a not-guilty plea to one count of involuntary manslaughter. His attorney, Luke Nikas, also released a statement detailing the charges and plea.
“This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice,” Nikas stated. “Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun — or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
After the charges were filed, the Santa Fe prosecutors dropped the firearms enhancement charge against Baldwin. The actor has pleaded not guilty to his remaining charge. He also maintains that he did not pull the trigger.
Along with Alec Baldwin, the former Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was charged.
Alec Baldwin Describes Lawsuit Filed By Hutchins’ Family Over ‘Rust’ Accident ‘Especially Misguided’
Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin is turning his attention to the civil lawsuit brought against him by Halyna Hutchins’ family over the Rust shooting. The actor is requesting a judge to dismiss the suit brought on by Hutchins’ parents and sister.
In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Baldwin’s lawyers detailed by the Hutchins’ family suit should be dismissed. “The loss of a daughter and sister is undoubtedly painful in any circumstance. Yet Plaintiffs — who had been distanced from Halyna physically, financially, and emotionally for years before her death — have no viable cause of action against Defendants. This action is especially misguided.”
However, Hutchins’ parents and sister’s attorney, Gloria Allred, quickly responded to Baldwin’s lawyers. “We are not surprised that Alec Baldwin is once again attempting to avoid responsibility for what he did,” Allred shared. The attorney then said that It is abundantly clear under New Mexico law that Baldwin is responsible for all of the harm he did to the entirety of Hutchins’ family. “We are here to make sure that he is held accountable for his actions.”
