Alec Baldwin shares letter that Rust set was not 'dangerous' in aftermath of Halyna Hutchins' death
American actor Alec Baldwin, who accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer on a movie set, has refuted claims the workplace was "chaotic, dangerous and exploitative".
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died on October 21 during filming of the Western, Rust, in New Mexico. Baldwin, 63, was holding the gun but he has denied pulling the trigger.
The actor on Thursday shared on Instagram an open letter signed by more than 20 members of the cast and crew of Rust following the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The letter disputes claims that the production was being mismanaged.
It reads: “We, the undersigned, believe the public narrative surrounding our workplace tragedy to be inadequate and wish to express a more accurate account of our experience.”
It adds: “Unfortunately, in the film industry, it is common to work on unprofessional or hectic productions to gain experience and credits. Many of us have worked on those types of productions.
“Rust was not one of them. Rust was professional. We do acknowledge that no set is perfect, and like any production, Rust had areas of brilliance and areas that were more challenging.
“While we stand firmly with our unions and strongly support the fight for better working conditions across our industry, we do not feel that this set was a representation of the kind of conditions our unions are fighting against. We do support any and all efforts to make film sets safer to work on for all cast, crew and working animals.
“The descriptions of Rust as a chaotic, dangerous and exploitative workplace are false and distract from what matters the most: the memory of Halyna Hutchins, and the need to find modern alternatives to outdated industry firearm and safety practices.”
In an interview with Good Morning America last Thursday, Baldwin was asked if he felt guilt over Hutchins' death.
He replied: "No. No. I feel that... someone is responsible for what happened and I can't say who that is, but I know it's not me.
"Honest to God, if I felt that I was responsible, I might've killed myself if I thought that I was responsible. And I don't say that lightly."
Days after the incident at the end of October, Baldwin paid tribute to Hutchins, describing her as his "friend".
He told journalists: "The day I arrived in Sante Fe to start shooting the film, I took her to dinner with Joel the director.
“We were a very, very well-oiled crew shooting a film together and then this horrible event happened.”
"There are incidental accidents on film sets from time to time but nothing like this. This is a one in a trillion event," he added.
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Assistant director David Halls, who handed Baldwin the gun, said last month he hopes the shooting will prompt the film industry to "reevaluate" its safety measures.
A lawsuit has been filed by script supervisor Mamie Mitchell against Baldwin and the rest of the film's producers, claiming basic safety protocols were not followed.
Mitchell was the first person to call 911 about the incident.