What happened to Halyna Hutchins? All about the subject of Last Take on Hulu
Halyna Hutchins, a Ukrainian cinematographer, was accidentally shot and killed on October 21, 2021, during the filming of Rust. Actor Alec Baldwin fired a gun he believed was a prop, but it contained live rounds. The gun, overseen by armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was not properly checked. Director Joel Souza was also injured.
Hulu's new documentary, Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna, directed by her friend Rachel Mason, explores the events leading to the tragedy, released on March 11, 2025. The official synopsis of the Hulu documentary reads:
"In 2021, Alec Baldwin’s prop gun fired a live bullet on the set of RUST, killing its cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna, takes viewers inside that day and its aftermath, told first-hand by the people who lived it."
What is the story of Halyna Hutchins
Born in 1979, Halyna Hutchins grew up in a Soviet Union military base in the Russian city of Murmansk, as reported by The Associated Press. Halyna's father served in the Soviet Navy, and she grew up becoming interested in cinema from the military base itself.
As per a New York Times article, published on October 22, 2021, after pursuing economics, Hutchins switched to journalism, graduating from Kyiv National University in Ukraine. After getting her degree in international journalism, she started working on numerous documentaries, and travelled across Europe as an investigative journalist, as reported by CNN.
As per an article on Today, published on February 27, 2002, Hutchins married an American man named Matthew, and shifted to the U.S. Halyna Hutchins initially started working as a photographer for fashion magazines, and then in the production team.
As per a The Wall Street Journal article published on October 22, 2021, while living in the U.S. Hutchins attended a two-year master's program in the American Film Institute Conservatory, and graduated in 2015. As reported by American Cinematographer on February 27, 2019, Halyna Hutchins was named among 10 directors of photography who are making their mark.
As per a People article, published on October 22, 2021, Halyna Hutchins started receiving her credit for her work in movies including Darlin' (2019), Blindfire (2020), and The Mad Hatter (2021).
The death of Halyna Hutchins
As reported by KOAT-TV, it was back in October 2021, Halyna Hutchins first started working as the director of photography, on the set of Rust (2024). The filming was taking place at a location near LA Cienega in New Mexico. A Pietta .45 Colt revolver, which was being used as a prop, was left unchecked and was loaded with live rounds.
As per a Deadline article, published on October 22, 2021, for a particular scene, actor Alec Baldwin fired the gun, which ended up injuring the movie director Joel Souza. The bullet shot Hutchins and severely injured her. She was quickly airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, but died there succumbing to the fatal injuries.
As per a BBC News article, published on October 5, 2022, the family of Halyna Hutchins filed a legal lawsuit against actor Baldwin, and the production members on the set of Rust. It was initiated in February 2020, and finally was settled two years later with an undisclosed amount on October 5, 2022.
As reported by CNBC, the assistant director of Rust, David Halls pleaded guilty of using a deadly weapon with negligence in January, 2023. He eventually received a six-month sentence of probation, with a $ 500 fine. The actor Alec Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter, which was later dismissed by the New Mexico Prosecutor's Office in April 2023.
As per a Los Angeles Times article, published on August 4, 2023, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was the set armorer, whose negligence led to the fatal accident. As per the New York Times, Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter on March 6, 2024. She was sentenced for 18 months imprisonment in April 2024.
However, as per ABC News, a Judge from Sabta Fe County District Court in New Mexico, dismissed the case on July 12, 2024, after it was revealed that the prosecution withheld evidence. However, the family of Halyna Hutchins and her husband Matthew is still seeking legal action against the actor Alec Baldwin.
Check out our other articles to learn more details about Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna.
