Rust Script Supervisor Files Lawsuit Against Alec Baldwin And Producers
A month after the deadly shooting on the set of "Rust" that took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and injured director Joel Souza, details are still emerging about the apparent negligent conditions and preventable chain of events that ended with actor/producer Alec Baldwin firing a live round at Hutchins and Souza.
The latest news (via The Hollywood Reporter) is that a lawsuit has been filed by Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor of "Rust" and the first person to call 911 the day of the shooting. Mitchell's suit adds to the chaotic image of the day and, like many of the other stories reported by "Rust" crew members, highlights the continuous disregard of safety protocols. She's currently being represented by Gloria Allred.
Mitchell's complaint doesn't deviate much from the stories told by other crew members and people on set. From the news about the first assistant director's poor safety record to the walk offs and misfires that had already taken place on set, many of the testimonies about the set of "Rust" paint the same deadly disorganized picture. That said, a new piece is added to the puzzle with Mitchell's lawsuit.
What We Know About the Lawsuit
In her complaint, Mitchell states that the scene Baldwin was shooting when he fired his weapon at Hutchins and Souza wasn't supposed to include a gun shot at all. Mitchell says that three tight camera shots were supposed to take place after lunch: a shot of Baldwin's eyes, a shot of a bloodstain on Baldwin's shoulder and a shot of Baldwin removing his gun from his holster. As stated in her complaint, "There was nothing in the script about the gun being discharged by DEFENDANT BALDWIN or by any other person."
Furthermore, Mitchell's complaint states she was standing less than four feet away from Baldwin during the shooting (per The Guardian). Due to her proximity, Mitchell claims she has "sustained serious physical trauma and shock and injury."
Mitchell is suing Baldwin, "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director David Halls, more than a few other producers and crew members, as well as a number of production companies involved in the creation of "Rust." Her complaint doesn't only cite the general lack of safety protocols on set, including the limited amount of plexiglass and the poor communication around the gun in question, but also specifically calls out Baldwin for not visually confirming the gun was not loaded:
"[Baldwin] had no right to rely upon some alleged statement by the Assistant Director that it was a 'cold gun.' Mr. Baldwin cannot hide behind the Assistant Director to attempt to excuse the fact that he did not check the gun himself."
The shooting on the rest of "Rust" has lead to a slew of conversations around on set safety, many of which have become intertwined with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees' (IATSE) recent contract negotiation. At least one TV show has already agreed to ban live guns from their set, while politicians have started folding these conversations into their talking points.