Cameras will be banging into each other as the filming of Rust continues with Alec Baldwin in the lead, along with a documentary by none other than Oscar-nominated Rory Kennedy, the daughter of RFK. This news is still in the “alleged” category at the time of this writing, and is breaking merely one day after manslaughter and other charges facing Baldwin post-Rust shooting incident were dropped.
Per Daily Mail, Baldwin hired the documentary filmmaker, known for Ethel in 2012, as well as Last Days in Vietnam in 2014, both of which subjects she has a close connection to, as the daughter of Ethel Kennedy and the niece of JFK. However, with 44 producing credits and 22 directing credits to her name, she seems perfect for a job that will most likely include the footage from the shooting incident, as well as new footage from the rest of the filming.
Despite the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021 and the ongoing criminal case against weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the show must apparently go on. As AP reports, the production company has agreed to pay a $100,000 fine to New Mexico’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau. Meanwhile, Matthew Hutchins, the widower of the late cinematographer, outlined plans to resume filming last year, as he has accepted as part of a settlement in his wrongful death lawsuit to be appointed executive producer of the film.
At this time, the only case that has been resolved is that of the safety coordinator and assistant director David Halls. He took a plea bargain when he pled no contest to the charge of unsafe handling of a firearm. He was court-ordered to pay a $500 fine, do 24 hours of community service, and serve six months probation, according to AP. The safety coordinator must also take a gun safety class. He has agreed to remain on staff for the reboot.
As far as the filming location is concerned, it will no longer be in New Mexico, but has moved to the Yellowstone Film Ranch overlooking Paradise Valley in Southwest Montana. New Mexico prosecutors are in no way finished with the case, as New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has granted a $360,000 allowance to continue with their investigations to ensure justice will be served for the shooting victim, Halyna Hutchins.
As investigations will continue on the case of Hutchins’ death, and the forthcoming documentary will not only focus on the filming of Rust, but will also highlight the late cinematographer’s life. With her style of documenting true stories, if this alleged news is in fact true, Rory Kennedy seems poised to do it justice.
