Alec Baldwin and the family of the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins reached settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit against the “Rust” actor and others who were involved.
Matthew Hutchins, Halyna’s widower, said in a statement to Deadline that he will be an executive producer on the said film. He will also receive a portion of the profits. He stated, “We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of ‘Rust,’ including Alec Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions, LLC. As part of that settlement, our case will be dismissed.” He also added that the Western movie will resume production in January 2023 with all its original cast.
He added, “I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin). 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.”
Meanwhile, Luke Nikas, Baldwin’s lawyer, told Page Six, “Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.”
On the other hand, director Joel Souza, who was injured by the same bullet that killed Halyna, explained that having Matthew as part of the production is his own “attempts to heal.”
“Though certainly bittersweet, I am pleased that together, we will now complete what Halyna and I started,” Souza explained. “My every effort on this film will be devoted to honoring Halyna’s legacy and making her proud. It is a privilege to see this through on her behalf.”
In February this year, Halyna’s family filed a lawsuit against the 64-year-old actor. They accused Baldwin for firing the bullet that killed the cinematographer while filming the movie last October 21, 2021 in New Mexico. That same bullet came out of her body and hit Souza’s clavicle. The family also released a reenactment footage of the incident, specifically when Baldwin pulled the trigger of the prop gun that supposedly had blank cartridges.
However, Baldwin denied having any responsibility in the cinematographer’s death claiming that the mistake that led to that incident was “performed by someone else.”
