Nearly a year after Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of the film Rust, her family reached a settlement with the film’s producers, including star Alec Baldwin, who was holding the gun. The Hutchins family brought the wrongful-death lawsuit against the producers in February. Deadline first reported news of the settlement, along with the agreement that Halyna’s widower, Matthew Hutchins, will now be an executive producer on the movie. It is set to resume filming in January. “I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin),” Matthew said, through his attorney, in a statement to Vulture. “All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”
Statements from Baldwin and the film’s production company echoed the commitment to Halyna Hutchins’s family and legacy. “Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son,” said Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, per Deadline. (Halyna left behind a son with Matthew, named Andros.) Rust director Joel Souza, who was also wounded in the shooting, said Matthew’s participation in the film was imperative to it being finished. “Though certainly bittersweet, I am pleased that together, we will now complete what Halyna and I started,” he said. “My every effort on this film will be devoted to honoring Halyna’s legacy and making her proud. It is a privilege to see this through on her behalf.” Matthew’s involvement in the film alongside Baldwin is a surprise after he criticized Baldwin’s interview about the shooting earlier this year, saying it made him “angry.”
The settlement comes as the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office looks to be considering charges after its investigation. Prosecutors in New Mexico recently received federal funds they had requested to bring charges against up to four individuals. The request cited Baldwin as a potential defendant, although no charges have been brought.
