Alec Baldwin files lawsuit against “Rust” film crew over shooting incident
Alec Baldwin after the accidental shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Photo: MEGA/GC Images
Actor Alec Baldwin filed a lawsuit Friday in California against individuals of the “Rust” film crew, alleging there was wrongdoing on the set that led to the accidental shooting and death of Halyna Hutchins.
The big picture: This is the first time Baldwin has thrown allegations of wrongdoing against someone connected to the film.
Catch up fast: Hutchins, the cinematographer for "Rust," was killed on set in 2021 after Baldwin allegedly fired a prop gun after he was told it wasn't loaded, Axios previously reported.
- Director Joel Souza was also wounded in the shoulder.
- Baldwin denied responsibility for Hutchins' death, saying live rounds should not have appeared on set.
- The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office did not file charges against anyone for the shooting.
Baldwin filed a cross-complaint Friday following a 2021 lawsuit by a “Rust” script supervisor, which accused Baldwin of "playing Russian roulette" when he pointed and shot the Colt .45 revolver at Hutchins without having someone on set check the gun first, ABC News reports.
- Baldwin's lawsuit alleges wrongdoing by several members of the "Rust" staff, including the film's first assistant director, armorer, ammunition supplier and prop master, according to the complaint obtained by Axios.
- The complaint alleges that the shooting "happened because live bullets were delivered to the set and loaded into the gun," and that members of the film's crew neglected to check the gun carefully for bullets, according to Baldwin's attorney, Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel.
- "These cross-defendants are professionals who owed a duty to those on set, including Baldwin, to keep the set safe," Nikas wrote in the complaint. "Everyone on set, including Baldwin, expected and trusted them to do so."
What's next: Baldwin is seeking “compensatory, nominal, statutory, and punitive damages” from a jury trial, as well as expenses for litigation and other relief, the complaint says.
Worth noting: In October, Baldwin and Hutchins' family reached an undisclosed settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit. Matthew Hutchins, the widower of Halyna Hutchins, will receive a share of the film's profits.
Go deeper: Alec Baldwin reaches settlement with "Rust" shooting victim's family