Prop chief’s doubts before Baldwin film set role
A MOVIE armourer who laid out the loaded gun for Alec Baldwin that led to tragedy admitted she “wasn’t ready” for the job just weeks ago.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, had only managed a film firearms department once before, and when she first took on the role she worried she wouldn’t be good enough.
In a podcast chat last month about working on recent Western flick The Old Way, she said: “It was my first time being head armourer as well. “I was really nervous about it at first and I almost didn’t take the job because I wasn’t sure if I was ready, but it went really smoothly.” She also said loading blanks into a gun during her training was “the scariest thing”. Gutierrez-Reed laid out a Colt pistol on the set of Rust last week that was picked up by assistant director Dave Halls and handed to Baldwin, 63, unaware that it was reportedly loaded with a live round. Halls then shouted “cold gun” to signal to cast and crew that it was safe to fire, a warrant revealed. Seconds later Baldwin apparently aimed towards the camera, pulled the trigger and hit director of photography Halyna Hutchins, 42, who died later in hospital. Director Joel Souza, 48, was also wounded in the incident. In a recording of an emergency call Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor, appears to blame
ED GLEAVE edward.gleave@dailystar.co.uk
Halls – referring to him as “AD”, or assistant director.
She claimed: “This f***ing AD that yelled at me at lunch... is supposed to check the guns.
“He’s responsible for what happened.” It has also emerged crew members staged a walk-out just hours before the fatal incident over safety fears.
They took action after firearms were discharged by mistake, it has been reported. Police in Santa Fe and New Mexico in the US have launched a probe.
A statement released by Rust Productions said: “Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down.
“We will continue to co-operate with Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to cast and crew during this tragic time.”
Souza said last night in a tribute: “I am gutted by the loss of my friend and colleague, Halyna.
“She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch and always pushed me to be better. My thoughts are with her family.”
Baldwin attended a private memorial on Friday night alongside Halyna’s husband Matthew.