Halyna Hutchins’ final Instagram post shared ‘perks’ of film industry
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ final Instagram post just one day before she died highlighted the “perks” of shooting Alec Baldwin’s upcoming western film “Rush” in New Mexico.
The 42-year-old shared a video on Wednesday of herself smiling as she rode a horse through the desert, captioning the clip: “One of the perks of shooting a western is you get to ride horses on your day off.”
She had also earlier posted a photo on Instagram of the entire “Rust” crew — with Baldwin front and center — on the film set.
Hutchins tagged Baldwin and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees union in the haunting post, with the caption: “Standing in #IAsolidarity with our @IATSE crew here in New Mexico on RUST.”
The Instagram posts came just one day before she was fatally shot Thursday afternoon when Baldwin fired a prop gun while they were filming at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe.
Hutchins, who was working as the director of photography on the film, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where she died from her injuries.
The film’s director, Joel Souza, 48, was injured and was being treated in a Santa Fe hospital, authorities said.
Immediately after the incident, an eyewitness told Hollywood gossip site Showbiz 411 that a distressed Baldwin started repeatedly asking how he could have been given a “hot gun” — meaning a firearm loaded with real ammunition.
“In all my years, I’ve never been handed a hot gun,” the actor allegedly kept saying.
The witness said Baldwin was in shock after the ordeal and he “had no idea how badly they were hurt or Halyna was dead.”
The film set was sent into lockdown and production was halted immediately after the accidental double shooting.
“Detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile was discharged,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
No charges were filed as of late Thursday and detectives are still interviewing witnesses.
