‘Rust’ Producers Settle Lawsuit From Crew Members

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As a fervent admirer looking back, I’m excited to share that three dedicated team members involved in the production of “Rust” have reached an agreement in their legal dispute, stemming from the unfortunate incident involving the cinematographer’s accidental shooting on set.

Last week, both parties submitted a shared filing to the court, announcing they had reached an agreement to settle their ongoing dispute. The specifics of the settlement remain confidential.

In an unfortunate turn of events on October 21, 2021, during a movie set scene, I was handling an antiquated revolver that unfortunately went off. The assistant director handed me this gun, assuring me it was “cold,” or in other words, devoid of live ammunition. However, the gun unexpectedly discharged towards cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who tragically lost her life, and director Joel Souza, who sustained injuries, while I was rehearsing a draw motion.

In 2023, Dolly operator Ross Addiego, along with customer Doran Curtin and key grip Reese Price, filed a lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and the production companies associated with the movie “Rust”. They accused the set of harboring a hazardous safety environment where producers were said to have bypassed standard industry practices regarding firearm usage while trying to keep film production costs minimal.

These guidelines concern safety measures implemented by film productions to ensure the well-being of cast and crew, particularly when dealing with firearms. They encompass rules such as prohibiting live ammunition (reportedly forbidden on Bonanza Creek Ranch, where the Rust set was located). Additionally, there’s a focus on fundamental gun handling guidelines, which instruct actors to always presume a firearm is loaded and never to aim it at anything they don’t intend to fire.

Following the tragic incident at the set, I found myself under intense scrutiny after the dismissal of my involuntary manslaughter case due to procedural errors by the prosecutors. Regrettably, I was heavily criticized for failing to adhere to safety protocols that were essential on the filming day. It’s also been reported that at least one legal claim has been made, suggesting I shouldn’t have pulled the trigger of the prop gun during that fatal scene.

The team members blame the producers for selecting Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, an armorer who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter recently, instead of more seasoned firearm experts. They argue that this choice was made to save costs, as she took on both the roles of armorer and key props assistant, thus allowing the production to pay a single individual for tasks usually performed by two people, as stated in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit additionally involved Halls, who reportedly disregarded essential safety procedures, hastened crucial scenes involving firearms to expedite movie filming on a tight schedule. In 2023, he admitted guilt to resolve a charge for reckless handling of a lethal weapon and was sentenced to six months of supervised probation.

The crew members brought claims for negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Rust was released on demand and in a limited number of theaters last month.

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2025-07-01 01:54