Increased legal battles surrounding Alec Baldwin and the “Rust” movie isn’t stopping production from seeing the film through to the end.
Melina Spadone, attorney for Rust Movie Productions, LLC, confirmed to USA TODAY Monday that filming for “Rust” is on track to be completed with Baldwin in the lead role and with Joel Souza returning as director.
Spadone also confirmed there will be on-set safety supervisors and union crew members on set and that working weapons and ammunition will be barred. Spadone clarified live ammunition was always prohibited from the “Rust” set.
It’s unclear whether Baldwin is still a co-producer in the film or if cinematographer Halyna Hutchins‘ widower, Matthew Hutchins, will be involved. Last fall, Hutchins’ family settled a lawsuit against producersand agreed to restart filming with Matthew’s involvement as executive producer.
Halyna Hutchins, 42, died shortly after being wounded by a gunshot while setting up a scene at a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021. Baldwin was pointing a prop pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her and wounding Souza.
Last week, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and Special Prosecutor Andrea Reeb announced that Baldwin, 64, who was holding the gun at the time it fired, and “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Hutchins. No charges will be filed in the shooting of Souza.
After the impending charges against Baldwin and Guiterrez-Reed were announced, attorneys for the Hutchins family – Matthew Hutchins and son Andros – thanked the Santa Fe sheriff and the district attorney for the charges in a statement shared with USA TODAY, calling them “warranted for the killing of Halyna Hutchins with conscious disregard for human life.”
“It is a comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law. We support the charges, will fully cooperate with this prosecution, and fervently hope the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law,” Hutchins’ attorney Brian J. Panish said in a statement.