Hollywood ‘Devastated’ by Fatal ‘Rust’ On-Set Tragedy, Questions Use of Prop Guns
The death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Alec Baldwin’s “Rust” has drawn reactions of devastation throughout Hollywood and prompted discussions about the use of prop guns on set.
Hutchins, a 43-year-old award-winning cinematographer, was killed Thursday when actor-producer Baldwin discharged a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the indie Western film.
“My greatest fear is that someone will be fatally hurt on one of my sets. I pray this will never happen,” “The Suicide Squad” filmmaker James Gunn tweeted. “My heart goes out to all of those affected by the tragedy today on Rust, especially Halyna Hutchins & her family.”
“I’m in shock. I was so lucky to have had Halyna Hutchins as my DP on Archenemy,” actor Joe Manganiello wrote. “An incredible talent & great person. I can’t believe this could happen in this day and age… gunfire from a prop gun could kill a crew member? What a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to her family
According to law enforcement statements, Hutchins was shot around 1:50 p.m. local time Thursday and died of her injuries after she was airlifted to University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The film’s director, Joel Souza, was also injured and hospitalized in the incident, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Juan Rios said.
“The DGA is incredibly saddened to hear of the tragic passing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and the serious injuries sustained by DGA director Joel Souza in an on-set incident in New Mexico today,” Directors Guild of America president Lesli Linka Glatter said in a statement late Thursday. “We await further details and a full investigation. Our hearts go out to Halyna’s family, to Joel, and to everyone impacted.”
A representative for “Rust” production did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment on Souza’s current status Friday, but “Rust” actress Frances Fisher tweeted shortly after midnight on the West Coast, “our director Joel Souza is out of hospital.”
Director Paul Feig was among the many Hollywood heavyweights to pay tribute to Hutchins, tweeting Friday: “Just woke up in London to the devastating news of the accident that so tragically took the life of Halyna Hutchins. It is beyond comprehension. There are no words, really. This is a very dark day for our industry.”
“Superman & Lois” star Elizabeth Tulloch also tweeted about the on-set incident, noting the importance of keeping cast and crew safe on set: “A lot of sadness on the @cwsupermanlois set tonight. Film & television crews work so hard and their safety needs to be ensured. My heart breaks for Halyna Hutchins, her family, the Rust crew, and everyone affected by this horrific (and likely preventable) tragedy.”
See more reactions to Hutchins’ death on the set of “Rust” below, including one from the sister of Brandon Lee, the star of “The Crow” who was killed on set by a prop gun firing blanks.
Our hearts go out to the family of Halyna Hutchins and to Joel Souza and all involved in the incident on “Rust”. No one should ever be killed by a gun on a film set. Period.
— Brandon Bruce Lee (@brandonblee) October 22, 2021
Sick and devastated to hear that my friend and rockstar cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on set today in New Mexico. I don't have words to describe this tragedy. I want answers. I want her family to somehow find peace among this horrific, horrific loss. pic.twitter.com/ElAQNMuQvR
— 𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖊 𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖗
(@elleschneider) October 22, 2021
My greatest fear is that someone will be fatally hurt on one of my sets. I pray this will never happen. My heart goes out to all of those affected by the tragedy today on Rust, especially Halyna Hutchins & her family.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 22, 2021
I’m in shock. I was so lucky to have had Halyna Hutchins as my DP on Archenemy. An incredible talent & great person. I can’t believe this could happen in this day and age… gunfire from a prop gun could kill a crew member? What a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to her family pic.twitter.com/W479ch56Js
— JOE MANGANIELLO (@JoeManganiello) October 22, 2021
Like obviously it’s the story but it is really not fair to have Alec Baldwin be the face of this tragedy. He wasn’t in charge of loading that gun. Safety on set needs to be taken so much more seriously
— caitie delaney (@caitiedelaney) October 22, 2021
Just woke up in London to the devastating news of the accident that so tragically took the life of Halyna Hutchins. It is beyond comprehension. There are no words, really. This is a very dark day for our industry.
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) October 22, 2021
Deepest condolences to the family and friends of Halyna Hutchins. Crew should never be unsafe on set and when they are there is always a clearly definable reason why. #IASolidarity
— Alex Winter (@Winter) October 22, 2021
I was on the set of SHOOTER when a cameraman was hit in the forehead with a blank and gushed blood everywhere.
I was on a set where a crew could easily have gotten hit by a train.
Filmmaking is very dangerous. And we need to care more about that. RIP #HalynaHutchins https://t.co/yuS2AzSHUN— Dara Resnik (she/her) (@BadassMomWriter) October 22, 2021
Get rid of live blanks. Why are we still doing this shit? It’s a movie. https://t.co/U2yMeiDYr2
— Travis Helwig (@travishelwig) October 22, 2021
A lot of sadness on the @cwsupermanlois set tonight. Film & television crews work so hard and their safety needs to be ensured. My heart breaks for Halyna Hutchins, her family, the Rust crew, and everyone affected by this horrific (and likely preventable) tragedy. pic.twitter.com/0Wm5RMSiJE
— Elizabeth Tulloch (@BitsieTulloch) October 22, 2021
p.s. They add the muzzle flashes in post now anyway, and they can even cycle the slide and add a shell ejection in VFX. Having live blanks on your set is not worth it. No show or shot is worth risking people’s lives.
— David Slack (@slack2thefuture) October 22, 2021