Angelina Jolie Speaks Out About ‘Rust’ Set Tragedy: ‘You Have to Take It Very Seriously’

Angelina Jolie shared her thoughts about the tragic Rust set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. 

“I can’t imagine what these families are going through,” the Eternals actress said in an interview with The Times on Thursday, November 4. “At this moment, the grief and the tragedy of that accident is quite overwhelming.” 

Angelina, 46, is no stranger to prop guns. She has starred in multiple action flicks, from Salt to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which involved using on-set weapons. Also, the actress has served as a director and producer for other films, including the war films In The Land of Blood and Honey and Unbroken.

“I’ve always been very careful because I’ve had to work with guns a lot,” the Maleficent actress explained. “The way I’ve worked or checked when I’m directing, there are certain procedures. You have to take it very seriously.” 

Halyna, 42, was tragically killed when a prop gun was fired on the set of Alec Baldwin’s western film, Rust, on October 22. Alec, 63, fired the prop gun, also injuring director Joel Souza. Per an email sent by IATSE local 44 obtained by Variety, the gun contained a “single live-round.”

According to a search warrant affidavit obtained by In Touch, authorities revealed assistant director Dave Halls handed the Saturday Night Live guest star a prop gun taken from a rolling cart, which was handled by the armorer. The crew then yelled “cold gun” —  a safety term indicating a prop gun is not loaded. The affidavit stated neither the actor nor the assistant director was aware that the gun was loaded. 

Questions regarding on-set safety arose. “Most of the camera crew walked before this happened due to safety concerns,” a source close to the Rust set told In Touch. 

Two days after the tragedy, Alec was photographed having breakfast with Halyna’s husband and children on October 24. Her father, Anatoly Androsovych, released his first statement regarding the incident: “We still can’t believe Halyna is dead and her mother is going out of her mind with grief,” he told The Sun. “But I don’t hold Alec Baldwin responsible — it is the responsibility of the props people who handle guns.”

“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” Alec wrote via Twitter. “I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.” 

Halyna was named a “rising star” by industry colleagues. A Los Angeles-based cinematographer, she graduated from the American Film Institute Conservatory Program in 2015. Prior to working on films, Halyna worked as an investigative journalist in Europe.