Hulu Documentary Reveals What Happened Before The RUST Shooting
By Movieguide® Contributor
A new Hulu documentary revealed the events on the set of RUST that led to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, including a walkout staged by the film crew.
Since the RUST shooting occurred on October 21, 2021, those involved in the case have been working to understand what went wrong that day. While the events of the specific day are now largely understood, the details compiled in this new documentary reveal just how crucial the leading days and weeks were to that fateful day.
During the beginning weeks of RUST’s production, many on set felt there were safety concerns with how the weapons were being handled, particular by Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer.
“My first day coming out of hair and makeup in my full costume, and Alec [Baldwin] is at base camp, and he’s in his costume, and this girl comes over and interrupts our conversation,” recalled Frances Fisher, per Fox News. “She’s got an armful of guns, just barreled her way in, and I thought it’s very unsafe to be walking around base camp with a whole bunch of guns in your hand.”
“Like, have they been cleared? Why are you doing this?” Fisher continued. “And Alec, he seemed a little, ‘What’s she doing?’ Then I found out she was the armorer. I though, wow.”
Production, however, wrote off her seeming incompetence given that she is the daughter of legendary armorer Thell Reed. However, eventually the safety concerns became too big to overlook, causing the film crew to stage a walkout on the day the movie’s climactic shootout was set to be filmed.
The filmmakers chose to continue to film that day – a decision that would cost the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
“[The camera crew] chase to walk out on the day we were having the biggest shootout of the whole show,” Thomas Gandy, the special effects coordinator on set said during the documentary..
Related: Alec Baldwin Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter for RUST Shooting
Because of that positioning, Hutchins would be killed and director Joel Souza would be injured when a prop gun accidentally shot a loaded charge.
While the court cases for this accident have all finished, and Gutierrez Reed is the only person to receive charges, this documentary reveals that she is not the only person to blame for this accident. While Baldwin and the rest of production ended up being found not guilty of any misconduct, it is clear that a variety of factors led to that fatal day.
LAST TAKE: RUST AND THE STORY OF HALYNA is now available to stream on Hulu.
Movieguide® previously reported:
A new reality TV show will give fans a new look at one of the entertainment industry’s most prolific actors as Alec Baldwin, his wife Hilaria and their kids invite cameras into their lives.
While providing a look at the family’s everyday life, the TV show will also address Baldwin’s involvement in RUST and the subsequent court case after the tragic shooting that occurred. The mental toll of the accident and the way Baldwin’s family helped him through it appear to be one of the main focuses of the series.
“A son lost his mom in the most unthinkable tragedy,” Hilaria said in a sneak peek of the series. “This is never something to forget, and we’re trying to parent through it.”
“Honestly, from the bottom of my soul, I don’t now where I’d be if I didn’t have you and these kids,” Alec added in an emotional moment with his wife.
“This series gives viewers a glimpse into our lives as a family — the good, bad, wild, and everything in between,” the couple explained. “We hope viewers will connect with our experiences and the love we share.”
Alec and Hilaria share seven kids, ranging from 11 years old to 2 years old. The show will also feature Alec’s oldest daughter Ireland, who he shares with Kim Basinger from a previous marriage.
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