‘Rust’ Director Speaks Out on Fatal Shooting, Finishing the Movie and Having ‘No Relationship’ With Alec Baldwin: ‘We’re Not Friends. We’re Not Enemies’

As a survivor of that fateful day on the set of “Rust”, I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions when I recall the events that unfolded. The gunshot, the chaos, and the aftermath – it’s a memory seared into my mind forever.


In his initial interview following the October 2021 set accident involving a prop gun that discharged a live bullet, causing the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza himself, Souza spoke candidly to Vanity Fair. He shared his harrowing experience, discussed the decision to complete the film, and explained that he and star Alec Baldwin now have no personal relationship following the tragic event.

Souza remarked, “It’s strange indeed to have been shot. And even stranger still, who wielded the gun? That’s quite peculiar. I had an odd notion, as if recalling a memory from my childhood, like ‘Gosh, I remember watching ‘The Hunt for Red October’ at the cinema. It feels like your older self is nudging your younger self, saying, ‘Remember that man…one day…’ “

During the filming of a particular scene, Hutchins was in front while Souza stood behind him. Suddenly, a gun discharged, wounding Hutchins in the chest and grazing Souza’s shoulder. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Souza described the bullet impact as if “a horse had kicked me in the shoulder or someone had hit me with a bat.”

“The whole right side of my body went numb, completely numb, but it also hurt excruciatingly at the same time, if that makes sense,” he continued. “It’s just like everything went tingly and numb but hurt like hell all at once. And I staggered back and was either on my knees or on my ass — and just…yelling. I don’t even know what the hell I was yelling.”

Souza stated that the bullet came close to striking his lung by such a small margin. Remarkably, it halted only a short distance from his spinal cord. The bullet had pushed its way through his skin, creating a noticeable lump.

As a movie enthusiast, when Anthony Breznican remarked that I must’ve felt incredibly thankful for merely being alive, my response was far from it. “Not at all,” I said.

“He went on saying, ‘That night, I distinctly wished I wouldn’t wake up the next day. I hoped for some miraculous bleeding out, as I felt my life was no longer worth living. It was a tough time. All I could think was, Maybe I’ll just lose too much blood – that outcome seemed acceptable to me.'”

After the tragic shooting incident, a sequence of legal proceedings unfolded, concluding only last month. Dave Halls, first assistant director, accepted a plea deal for a minor charge related to negligent handling of a deadly weapon. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and will serve 18 months in prison. The case involving Alec Baldwin for involuntary manslaughter was dropped on July 12, as the judge determined that evidence had been withheld by authorities. Does Souza believe justice has been adequately addressed?

“Souza admitted he was unsure and didn’t recognize the situation any longer. He was straightforward about this. He stressed that no one enjoys seeing someone being sent to prison. If you find satisfaction in that, I encourage you to scrutinize your own feelings closely.”

Regarding the controversy over Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charge, I find myself empathizing with both viewpoints. Yet, after careful consideration, I remain undecided and unbiased on this matter.

“Does it matter if I think it’s fair or not? There is an argument that says, if he checks it and starts fiddling around with it, he’s creating a safety issue. And then there is another thing that says, it’s common sense, Jesus Christ. Be careful with this goddamn thing,” he told Vanity Fair. “So I don’t know anymore, to be honest with you. The charges got filed. That’s what they decided to do. Was he overcharged? I don’t know.”

In spite of the devastating incident, Souza ultimately chose to go back to the film set to complete the project following the shooting. For a while, Souza had been hesitant about the idea, expressing that he thought he might never work in this field again, saying “for a long time, I believed I was finished with this line of work.” However, the opportunity to honor Hutchins’ memory swayed his decision.

“He stated that completing the movie would financially help Halyna’s family, which is significant to him. While it might seem cliché to those who aren’t creatively inclined, her final project carries weight. Having people see her last work was a crucial factor in his decision.”

In a shift of roles, a fresh cinematographer named Biana Cline, part of Hutchins’ group, stepped in during the filming process. However, the specific scene that was being captured at the time of the tragic shooting was completely excised from the production.

Souza stated, “Every aspect required a complete overhaul at the location.” He explained, “There were certain elements present previously that no longer fit with the narrative logic. Consequently, we discarded them and created something entirely fresh…” He added, “I don’t want any viewers to anticipate anything similar. Nothing was preserved or insisted upon maintaining its original form.”

During that second filming, when asked about his connection with Baldwin, Souza responded: “It was challenging, but we managed. I achieved the acting I desired. We aren’t friends. We aren’t adversaries. There’s simply no bond between us.”

Representatives for Baldwin did not immediately respond to EbMaster‘s request for comment.

“According to Souza, the project known as ‘Rust’ was completed back in March. However, contrary to some speculations, it hasn’t been distributed yet. When it finally makes its way into theaters, Souza expresses his hope that viewers will appreciate Hutchins’ skill rather than focusing on the unfortunate incident that claimed her life.”

As a fellow film enthusiast, I can’t help but lament that Halyna, with her exceptional talent, should have been beyond my league if the movie industry followed any semblance of logic. Yet, it seems the rules don’t apply here. She ought to have been gracing the sets of big-budget studio films instead. Projects like ours should have been beneath her, a mere stepping stone in her illustrious career. She should have been given the chance to shine in $100 million productions, not limited by the constraints of a $7.5 million budget. Anyone who had the privilege of working with her knew her worth and understood the brilliance she brought to the table.

Head over to Vanity Fair’s website to read the full interview with Souza.

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2024-08-15 17:47