Matt Hutchins, the husband of the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, has given a statement regarding the fatal tragedy that occurred on the set of “Rust” in which a prop firearm discharged and killed Halyna.
Matt released a statement through his Twitter alongside a picture of Halyna.
“Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words,” Matt wrote. “Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family’s privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life.”
Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words. Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family’s privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life. pic.twitter.com/LgEp4XVkja
— Matt Hutchins (@mhutchins) October 23, 2021
On Thursday, while Halyna was in New Mexico shooting the western “Rust,” the cinematographer was shot by a prop gun containing a live round of ammunition. She was transported via helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, and died shortly after. Authorities have confirmed that Alec Baldwin discharged the shot that killed Halyna, though an ongoing “shooting investigation” is continuing as to determine key details in the lead-up to the accident.
Following her death, colleagues and friends in the industry offered remembrances of the cinematographer. “We lost a truly unique artist, and it pains me to think of the images she never had a chance to create,” said fellow cinematographer Stas Bondarenko.
After working in British documentary productions in Eastern Europe, Halyna moved to Los Angeles and graduated from UCLA’s Professional Producing program in 2010. She was selected a rising star by American Cinematographer magazine in 2019 and was making a name for herself on productions such as “Archenemy,” “Snowbound,” “Darlin’,” “Blindfire” and “The Mad Hatter.”