‘Rust’ shooting: Alec Baldwin, Halyna Hutchins’ family reach settlement

The family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer killed when a gun went off on the set of the movie “Rust” last year, has reached a settlement in the wrongful lawsuit death filed earlier this year against the movie’s producers, including actor Alec Baldwin.

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Both parties announced the agreement in statements obtained by CNN and Deadline.

“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,” Matthew Hutchins, Halyna Hutchins’ widower, said in the statement. “As part of that settlement, our case will be dismissed.”

Matthew Hutchins said he will serve as executive producer of the movie when it resumes filming in January 2023.

“I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin),” he said. “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.”

Authorities said Baldwin was holding a gun on Oct. 21, 2021, while Halyna Hutchins was setting up a scene for “Rust” when he pulled the trigger. A bullet hit and killed Halyna Hutchins and injured the movie’s director, Joel Souza.

On Wednesday, CNN reported that Souza is expected to return to the film. In a statement, he remembered Halyna Hutchins as “exceedingly talented, kind, creative, and a source of incredible positive energy.”

“In my own attempts to heal, any decision to return to finish directing the film could only make sense for me if it was done with the involvement of Matt and the Hutchins family,” he said. “Though certainly bittersweet, I am pleased that together, we will now complete what Halyna and I started. My every effort on this film will be devoted to honoring Halyna’s legacy and making her proud.”

The Hutchins family filed suit against the movie’s producers earlier this year, alleging that those responsible for safety on the set exhibited “reckless behavior” and implemented “cost-cutting” measures that “led to the senseless and tragic death of Halyna Hutchins,” Brian Panish, an attorney representing the Hutchins family, said in February.

Attorneys said people on set raised concerns about safety before Halyna Hutchins’ death and that the production crew disregarded several industry standards meant to prevent the kind of incident that claimed the 42-year-old’s life.

“Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son,” Alec Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, said Wednesday in a statement. “We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.”

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Photos: Alec Baldwin fired 'prop gun' that killed 'Rust' cinematographer, officials say The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office responds to the scene of a fatal accidental shooting at a Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set near Santa Fe, N.M., on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Authorities say a cinematographer has been killed and a director injured Thursday after they were shot by a prop firearm on the "Rust" movie set. (Luis Sanchez-Saturno//Santa Fe New Mexican via AP)

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