American actor Alec Baldwin announced on Wednesday that he had reached an agreement with the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, whom he had killed in October 2021 while handling a revolver during the filming of the western Rust, a dramatic news item that shocked Hollywood.In an Instagram post, the comedian said he was “grateful to everyone who helped bring this tragic and painful case to a resolution.” Production on the film will resume in January 2023, according to a separate statement obtained by AFP. Mrs. Hutchins’ family against Alec Baldwin. However, an investigation remains ongoing and may lead to possible criminal prosecution, as the New Mexico Attorney General recalled on Wednesday. the producers or Mr. Baldwin),” commented the cinematographer’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, quoted in the film’s production statement. “We are all convinced that Halyna’s death resulted from a terrible accident.” Filming should resume in January 2023, “with all the protagonists”, he indicates, specifying that he will be the executive producer. On October 21, 2021, the filming of this western on a ranch in Santa Fe (New- Mexico) had turned tragic when Mr. Baldwin had activated a weapon supposed to contain only blank bullets but whose very real projectile had fatally wounded Halyna Hutchins, aged 42. “Bittersweet” The shot also injured the director of the film, Joel Souza, who welcomed Wednesday the upcoming resumption of filming. “While it’s obviously bittersweet, I’m glad that together we’re now finishing what Halyna and I started. All my efforts on this film will be devoted to putting the memory of Halyna in the spotlight”, he explained, quoted in the production press release. The filming accident, in a country regularly bereaved by arms with fire, had a very strong repercussion, until beyond the American borders. The news item had led Hollywood studios to reflect on the rules and conditions for making films. Halyna Hutchins’ family had filed a complaint against the actor in February, accusing him through their lawyer of “dangerous behavior” and denouncing the cost-saving measures decided by the film’s producers, including Mr. Baldwin, having according to her led to the death of the filmmaker. The police investigation, the conclusions of which have not yet been made public, focused in particular on determining how live ammunition could have been on the set, which is in theory formally forbidden, precisely to avoid accidents. Alec Baldwin had recently pointed the finger at the gunsmith hired for the film, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, while ensuring that he did not want to “condemn” her, and had also mentioned the responsibility of assistant director Dave Halls, who told him had handed over the weapon shortly before the shooting. .
