Actor Alec Baldwin recently shared a lengthy letter signed by some members from the 'Rust' cast and crew. In the letter, the members disputed claims of the film set being 'unprofessional' and 'chaotic'.
Baldwin shared the two-part open letter co-signed by nearly 25 crew members from 'Rust', defending the production after reports of concerning conditions and employee walk-offs prior to the fatal on-set shooting, which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and left director Joel Souza injured.
The 63-year-old actor took to Instagram on Thursday to share the letter, which began by clarifying that it had "not been sanctioned or influenced in any way by the producers" to be drafted. The crew members said in the letter that they wanted to "express a more accurate account" of their "workplace tragedy."
In the letter, Hutchins is remembered by her colleagues, who called her "the heart of our production."
They wrote, "Losing her hurt every single one of us. We are hurting from the loss of our togetherness, our spirit, and the loss of our labor. We are hurting for our friends that have been targeted by the public as they themselves grieve."
The crew members acknowledged that the 'Rust' production had "areas that were more challenging" and imperfect, though they maintained it was a "professional" set with "areas of brilliance."
"The descriptions of Rust as a chaotic, dangerous, and exploitative workplace are false and distract from what matters the most: the memory of Halyna Hutchins, and the need to find modern alternatives to outdated industry firearm and safety practices," read the letter. Days after the tragedy, a crew member who worked on the film told People magazine that there were "red flags" on set leading up to the incident and that the filming environment felt unsafe at times.
Reports also mentioned people on set staged a walkout after some members of the camera crew wrote resignation letters the night before the incident.
In the new letter, these crew members said, "While it is true that a few crew members quit prior to the accident, the vast majority of us remained, never feeling the need to protest or quit. We were enjoying our workplace. Those disgruntled few do not represent the views of all of us."
The letter also stated that "working morale on set was high," and that "from the director down to the production assistants, all departments worked well together, collaborating and helping each other achieve shared artistic goals."
"We are supporting each other and cooperating with investigators," the crew members said at the end of the open letter.
"We kindly request that your speculation and generalizations about us and our colleagues be sympathetic until all investigation is concluded. We are grateful to our many friends and family that have reached out to us privately to offer compassion and support," the letter concluded.
While filming the movie at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 21, Baldwin held the firearm that discharged and fatally wounded Hutchins. She was 42 when she breathed her last.
There is an ongoing investigation into how live rounds came to be inside the revolver, reported People magazine.
The letter comes one week after Baldwin's emotional ABC News interview aired in which the veteran star told George Stephanopoulos that he has been "struggling physically" in the wake of the shooting but that he doesn't feel guilt for what happened.
On November 17, Baldwin and 'Rust' producers were named in a lawsuit filed by script supervisor Mamie Mitchell, who was allegedly standing in the line of fire when the gun went off. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.
( With inputs from ANI )
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