Last Take: The Tragic Story of Halyna Hutchins and the Rust Shooting

A tragic accident on the set of "Rust" took Halyna Hutchins' life, and the new Hulu documentary "Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna" examines the failures that led to that moment. Directed by her friend Rachel Mason, the film attempts to honor Hutchins while also dissecting the catastrophic failures that led to her death.

Halyna Hutchins was more than just a talented cinematographer. She was a mother, a wife, and an artist dedicated to her craft. And she loved working on "Rust." That’s a painful truth that echoes throughout the documentary, revealed through her personal notes, messages, and behind-the-scenes footage. This wasn't just another job for her. She was fully invested. Then, in a single moment, everything changed.

October 21, 2021. A routine rehearsal inside a small wooden church on the set of "Rust" in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alec Baldwin, both the film’s star and one of its producers, was handed a Colt .45 revolver. It was supposed to be a "cold gun"—an industry term for a firearm containing no live rounds. But when Baldwin pointed it toward the camera during the scene and pulled the trigger, a live bullet was discharged. The shot struck Halyna Hutchins in the chest and injured director Joel Souza, who was standing behind her. She was rushed to the hospital but didn’t survive.

The immediate aftermath was chaos. Authorities swarmed the set. Baldwin, visibly distraught, was questioned by investigators, struggling to comprehend how this could have happened. The film crew had already been in turmoil—complaints about unsafe working conditions, crew members walking off set in protest just days before. The warning signs were there, but no one stopped production.

The documentary includes footage of Baldwin being informed that Hutchins had died. His reaction—shock, disbelief, horror—mirrors what most people felt when they first heard the news. A movie set, a place where safety should be an absolute priority, had turned into a crime scene.

As the investigation unfolded, it became clear that corners had been cut. The film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was responsible for handling weapons on set, but she was young and relatively inexperienced. Reports surfaced that crew members had been using the prop guns for live target practice—a staggering breach of safety protocols. The question became: who was ultimately responsible? Baldwin, as an actor, claimed he was simply following directions. As a producer, could he have done more to ensure a safer set? And then there’s Gutierrez Reed—should she have caught the live round before it ever made its way onto set? What about assistant director Dave Halls, who reportedly handed Baldwin the gun and declared it "cold"?

The documentary doesn’t shy away from these tough questions, but its focus isn’t just the legal blame game. It’s about the systemic failures that made this possible in the first place. Hutchins' widower, Matt Hutchins, served as an executive producer on the film, ensuring that her story remained at the center of it all. He initially pursued a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and the "Rust" production team, which was eventually settled. But legal battles continue—Gutierrez Reed faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, and Baldwin himself was charged, then had those charges dropped, only for them to be reconsidered later.

The bigger issue? This wasn’t the first time safety has been compromised on a movie set, and unless serious changes happen, it won’t be the last. The film industry has long relied on outdated practices, assuming accidents are rare enough to justify pushing boundaries. But the truth is, workplace safety shouldn’t be an afterthought, whether it's in a factory, a construction site, or a Hollywood set. And when people raise red flags—like crew members did on "Rust"—they need to be taken seriously before tragedy strikes.

During a panel discussion about "Last Take," director Joel Souza, who was also injured in the shooting, admitted that he wished the documentary focused more on Halyna’s life rather than just the circumstances of her death. And he’s not wrong. The documentary was originally intended to be a tribute, but as Mason put it, the commercial value of the "Rust" tragedy became an undeniable part of the story. That’s the harsh reality of true crime and high-profile incidents—what starts as a personal loss often turns into a public spectacle.

Baldwin, meanwhile, has returned to work and even launched a reality show with his family, a move that has drawn criticism. His involvement in "Rust" continues, as the film has resumed production, now with Hutchins' widower as an executive producer. That decision alone raises ethical questions—how do you finish a movie tied to such a devastating loss? And is there a right way to do it?

Mason hopes the documentary serves a greater purpose beyond recounting the tragedy. She wants it to spark conversations about on-set safety, not just in Hollywood, but in workplaces everywhere. Because at the end of the day, this wasn’t just an accident. It was a preventable failure at every level. And Halyna Hutchins should still be here.

#RustTragedy #HalynaHutchins #AlecBaldwin #OnSetSafety

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