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Updated on 12/1/21
Alec Baldwin is ready to open up.
ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos announced he’ll have the first sit-down interview with the actor following Halyna Hutchins’s devastating death on the set of Rust.
According to George, who shared the news on Good Morning America on Wednesday, December 1, the interview will air on ABC Thursday, December 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
“This was the most intense [ABC interview] I have ever experienced,” Stephanopoulos explained.
“He was so raw, as you can imagine he was devastated, but he was also very candid, he was very forthcoming, he answered every question, he talked about Halyna Hutchins, meeting her family as well, and he talked in detail about what happened on the set that day.”
And, along with the interview, ABC is also planning to air a two-hour episode of 20/20 on December 10 that will look into the accidental shooting.
For more information on what happened, keep reading.
Updated on November 3, 2021
New shocking claims have been made regarding the fatal shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was the armorer on the set, reportedly claimed there’s a possibility somebody intentionally put a live round of ammunition into the box of dummy ammunition.
This claim was made by her attorneys, Jason Bowels and Robert Gorence, on the Today show on Wednesday, November 3.
Bowels and Gorence explained someone could’ve put a live bullet in the round of ammunition between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the day of the shooting. This was when the ammunition was left unattended.
And, while the gun was inspected by Gutierrez-Reed prior to being handed to assistant director David Halls, she put six rounds of what she thought were dummies into the gun.
Live rounds and dummy rounds of ammunition do look very similar from the front, so there’s a chance she really believed she was putting dummy rounds into the gun. However, she clearly did not do enough due diligence.
Update on October 27, 2021
As the investigation into the fatal accident that killed Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins continues, more and more questions are popping up.
For one, many are wondering how something like this could’ve even happened, especially considering all the safety steps film sets have to go through to even begin filming.
Well, according to a firearms expert named Steve Wolf, the gun used in the film was actually a real gun and not a fake gun, as many had previously believed.
“The gun that Helena was shot with was not a prop gun. A prop gun is a gun that has either been modified to only accept blanks, or has been specifically manufactured to only accept blanks,” he told Entertainment Tonight.
“If bullets came out of this gun it was not a prop gun. It was a real gun that was being used as a prop in the movie.”
And, according to a report from The Wrap, crew members were actually using the gun to shoot beer cans in between scenes on set.
Criminal charges have not been ruled out at this point, with talks of Alec Baldwin potentially being charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Update on October 25, 2021
Director Joel Souza is speaking out following the death of his co-worker, Halyna Hutchins, who was accidentally killed on the set of Rust. Souza, who was also accidentally shot, is currently recovering at home after spending a brief period of time in the hospital.
“I am gutted by the loss of my friend and colleague, Halyna,” he told NBC News on Saturday, October 22.
“She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch, and always pushed me to be better. My thoughts are with her family at this most difficult time.”
He continued, “I am humbled and grateful by the outpouring of affection we have received from our filmmaking community, the people of Santa Fe, and the hundreds of strangers who have reached out…It will surely aid in my recovery.”
Along with Souza, Hutchins’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, shared a tribute to his late wife on social media.
“Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words,” he tweeted on Saturday.
“Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family’s privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life.”
Update on October 22, 2021
Following the death of Halyna Hutchins, Alec Baldwin took to Twitter to express his sadness over her tragic death.
“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” he wrote on Twitter.
“I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”
Rust director Joel Souza, who was also injured in the accident that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, is reportedly out of the hospital, at least according to one of the film’s other stars.
“Director Joel Souza told me he’s out of [the] hospital,” Frances Fisher, who is appearing in Rust, tweeted early Thursday morning.
However, no official statement has been released on Souza’s current condition.
Following the news of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’s devastating death, the production company released a statement confirming her passing.
“The entire cast and crew has been absolutely devastated by today’s tragedy, and we send our deepest condolences to Halyna’s family and loved ones,” they said in a statement.
“We have halted production on the film for an undetermined period of time and are fully cooperating with the Santa Fe Police Department’s investigation. We will be providing counseling services to everyone connected to the film as we work to process this awful event.”
Hutchins was born in Ukraine and earned a degree in international journalism from Kyiv National University. She worked as an investigative journalist before beginning her film career.
She then moved to Los Angeles and graduated from the American Film Institute Conservatory in 2015. Then, in 2019, she was named one of American Cinematographers’ Rising Stars.
Her film credits include working as the director of photography for the film Archenemy, which starred Joe Manganiello, Darlin’, and the TV miniseries A Luv Tale: The Series.
The former True Blood star took to Instagram to pay tribute to the late artist, calling her “an absolutely incredible talent.”
“She had such an eye and a visual style, she was the kind of cinematographer that you wanted to see succeed because you wanted to see what she could pull off next. She was a fantastic person. There was no amount of pressure she couldn’t handle. She was a great collaborator and an ally to anyone in front of her camera,” Manganiello wrote.
“Everyone who knew her was rooting for her. I can’t believe that this could happen in this day and age… gunfire from a prop gun could kill a crew member? This is a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to her family and especially to her son. I am so sad today for everyone who knew her and worked with her.”
Original story (October 21, 2021)
Actor and producer of the film Rust, Alec Baldwin, was involved in an incident on set Thursday which led to the death of director of photography Halyna Hutchins, 42.
Director Joel Souza, 48, was injured and rushed by ambulance to a hospital for emergency care. A prop firearm was discharged by Baldwin, 63, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
“There was an accident today on the New Mexico set of Rust involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks,” said a spokesperson for Baldwin. “Production has been halted for the time being. The safety of our cast and crew remains our top priority.”
No further comments were provided at the time of this writing. The incident took place on Bonanza Creek Ranch, a popular location for Western productions.
According to news outlets, no charges have been filed and a full investigation is underway.
The upcoming film Rust is centered around the accidental killing of a rancher by a 13-year-old boy in 1880s Kansas, who goes on the run with his grandfather after being sentenced to hang.
The film also stars Jensen Ackles, Travis Fimmel, Frances Fish, and Brady Noon. It was written by Joel Souza, who is also serving as director.
PopTonic will update as new information is released about this tragic incident.
