Mother of Hutchins:

Baldwin wants to profit from killing my daughter

Gloria Allred, attorney for Halyna Hutchins' family, holds up a photo of Hutchins holding her son Andros while standing next to her mother Olga Solovey.

(Bild: APA Pool/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Sam Wasson)

Controversy surrounding the world premiere of the western "Rust" scheduled for today: The mother of camerawoman Halyna Hutchins, who was killed during filming, will not be attending the screening in protest.

US actor Alec Baldwin (66) refuses to apologize to her and take responsibility for the death of her daughter, Olga Solovey announced via her lawyer Glora Allred. "Instead, he wants to unjustly profit from the killing of my daughter."

Three years after Hutchins' death during filming, the film is to celebrate its world premiere on Wednesday at the "Camerimage" film festival in Poland. An appearance by US director Joel Souza is planned. Actor Baldwin is not expected to attend. Festival director Kazimierz Suwala had initially told the "Hollywood Reporter" that Solovey, who lives in the Ukraine, would also attend the premiere if she was able to leave her country, which is at war, for it.

Halyna Hutchins loved her job as a camerawoman.

(Bild: AP)

Fatal shot on set
The Ukrainian-born camerawoman was fatally injured during the filming of the western on a film ranch in Santa Fe in October 2021. Lead actor and producer Baldwin was handling a gun during a rehearsal for a scene when a shot rang out. Director Souza was hit in the shoulder by the bullet and injured in the incident. Investigations later revealed that there was a real bullet in the Colt. Hutchins left behind a husband and a son.

Gun master Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for gun safety on the set, was sentenced to 18 months in prison last spring for involuntary manslaughter. The question of how the live ammunition got onto the set has still not been answered. Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin have repeatedly denied responsibility for the incident.

The police also released footage of the "Rust" shoot in the movie church. Here, Alec Baldwin rehearses the upcoming scene on a church pew. Only a second later, the fatal shot is fired.

(Bild: Santa Fe County Sheriff)

Trial against Baldwin was dropped
Baldwin had also been charged with involuntary manslaughter in a separate trial. However, the trial, which had already begun, was surprisingly discontinued in July. The defense lawyers had accused the public prosecutor's office of withholding evidence and thus of gross misconduct.

Civil action could follow
The camerawoman's husband, Matthew Hutchins, had reached an out-of-court settlement with Baldwin and the production company, but "Variety" had reported that there had been irregularities in the payments. The widower and his lawyer are therefore considering a new lawsuit.

The parents, who live in Ukraine, and the younger sister are also taking civil action against Baldwin and others involved in the filming of "Rust". They are seeking compensation for the pain and suffering caused by the child's death.

Halyna Hutchins

(Bild: 2019 Getty Images)

Film still finalized
Filming, which had initially been suspended, was resumed in 2023 by director Souza in the US state of Montana. In "Rust", Baldwin plays the bandit Harland Rust, who has a price on his head. Together with his 13-year-old grandson, he has to flee from bounty hunters and law enforcement officers. The camerawoman's widower acted as executive producer. Cinematographer Bianca Cline continued Hutchins' work at his request.

According to the director of the "Camerimage" film festival who told the "Hollywood Reporter", the film will be shown in Torun because cinematographer Hutchins told her friends before filming began that this was her dream.