Actor Alec Baldwin and the producers for the Rust movie have reached a settlement with the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in their wrongful death lawsuit.
Baldwin shot Hutchins dead with a live round from a prop gun during filming last year and could still face criminal charges.
In a statement, the cinematographer’s husband Matthew Hutchins said the fatal shooting was a “terrible accident”.
“I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr Baldwin),” said Hutchins, a mergers and acquisitions lawyer.
“All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident.”
The family’s civil lawsuit against Baldwin and others will be dismissed and filming of the movie will resume in January with all the original principal players, said Hutchins.
Under the deal, Halyna’s widow will become executive producer of the movie.
Baldwin posted on Instagram that he was pleased to announce the settlement.
“Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son,” it said on Instagram.
“We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.”
Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria spoke about the incident last year after being pursued by photographers. Photo: Getty
Rust director Joel Souza, who was also injured in the shooting, said he would honour Halyna’s legacy.
“Though certainly bittersweet, I am pleased that together, we will now complete what Halyna and I started,” he said.
Production of the low-budget film was taking place at Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, in October 2021, when Halyna, 42, died.
Baldwin was rehearsing with a revolver when it fired a live round that hit the Ukrainian cinematographer as well as Souza.
Police investigators, who could still press criminal charges, have focused on determining who handled the pistol Baldwin fired.
The 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live actor has denied responsibility for Hutchins’ death and said live rounds should never have been allowed on the set.
Halyna Hutchins was a Ukrainian-born cinematographer who worked on more than 30 films and TV series. Photo: Getty
Hutchins family lawyer Brian Panish at the February presentation of the lawsuit said Baldwin bore significant liability for the killing as he should have checked that the gun did not contain live rounds, should not have pointed it at a person and should not have pulled the trigger.
Baldwin has said he was told the gun was “cold,” an industry term meaning it was safe to use, and he did not pull the trigger.
An FBI forensic test of the single-action revolver found it “functioned normally” and would not fire without the trigger being pulled.
New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator in August ruled the shooting an accident as the gun did not appear to have been deliberately loaded with a live round.
The state’s worker safety agency fined the film’s production company the maximum amount possible for what it described as “wilful” safety lapses leading to Hutchins’ death.
-with AAP
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