Outsiders may see it as a freak movie-set accident. But for one family, it is an absolute tragedy after Halyna Hutchins simply showed up to work one day and did not return alive.
42-year-old Hutchins was fatally shot with a prop gun by Hollywood star, Alec Baldwin, while on the set of the movie, Rust. The cinematographer’s death has left her husband, Matthew Hutchins, and son, Andros, overwhelmed with grief after her untimely death.
When her 9-year-old son, Andros, heard about the news, he didn’t speak for two days, according to Hutchins’ father, Anatoly Androsovych.
“Andros was incredibly close to his mother and fell silent when told she was dead,” Anatoly said. “Matt was really worried because the boy withdrew into himself and couldn’t say a word for two days.”
“His dad has managed to coax a few words from him now but the effect has been devastating,” Anatoly continued. “This tragedy has wrecked a beautiful perfect family – everyone who knows them is destroyed by sorrow.”
Following Hutchins’ death, Baldwin has been in touch with the bereaved family and also met them at his hotel in Santa Fe. The world-acclaimed actor also accompanied Matthew and Andros at an intimate, private memorial for Hutchins.
A witness said the actor looked distraught as he met the grieving father and son. “His body language was of a beaten man — he was slumped, he looked aged,” the witness said. “I thought at first he grabbed the [luggage] cart to help him walk because he looked so down.”
Since the shocking tragedy took place, Matthew said Baldwin is “being very supportive.”
“There’s obviously a lot to deal with whenever there’s any death in the family. We’re moving around to address all the things we need to do on the ground. There’s a lot of phone calls and messages,” Matthew said. “And we greatly appreciate all the sympathy. It feels like people are going to move mountains. One thing we’re trying to do is to set up a memorial with AFI, the American Film institute. And that is in process, and there will be more details in the statement.”
According to a search warrant filed in a Santa Fe court, Baldwin was given the weapon and told that it was safe to use.
“Cold gun,” the assistant director told Baldwin as the gun was handed over; the words were a way of saying the gun was not loaded. However, the gun was loaded with live rounds, and when Baldwin pulled the trigger, he struck Halyna as well as the film’s director, who survived the incident with injuries.
Baldwin later released a statement on Twitter about the misfiring and said: “There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother, and deeply admired colleague of ours. I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”
