Alec Baldwin has shared a supportive letter from some of the 'Rust' cast and crew.
Alec Baldwin shares supportive letter from Rust cast and crew
In October, Alec - the star and producer of the movie - accidentally fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins while rehearsing a scene and after claims the set was unsafe, Alec has shared a letter from some of his co-workers, which blasts the "public narrative surrounding our workplace tragedy",
Alec, 63, posted the message in two parts on his Instagram account.
It reads: "To Whom It May Concern,
"This letter is written on behalf of the cast and crew of the film production, Rust. It has not been sanctioned or influenced in any way by the producers.
"We, the undersigned, believe the public narrative surrounding our workplace tragedy to be inadequate and wish to express a more accurate account of our experience.
"We are hurting from the loss of our friend and colleague, Halyna Hutchins. She was, in many ways, at the heart of our production, and 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.
"Unfortunately, in the film industry, it is common to work on unprofessional or hectic productions to gain experience and credits. Many of us have worked on those types of productions. Rust was not one of them. Rust was professional. We do acknowledge that no set is perfect, and like any production, Rust had areas of brilliance and areas that were more challenging...
"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and distract from what matters the most: the memory of Halyna Hutchins, and the need to find modern alternatives to outdated industry firearm and safety practices.
"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 working morale on set was high. Laughter and optimism were common amongst cast and crew. From the director down to the production assistants, all departments worked well together, collaborating and helping each other achieve shared artistic goals. We were aware that we were producing good work; capturing beautiful imagery and great performances, and we were proud to be doing so. The work was hard, but meaningful.
"As a crew, we have no authority as to what happens "above the line." That is the work of the producers. But, in our experience, the producers and production managers were supportive of our efforts. They were on set daily, and engaged with the crew, sharing in the same creative process. We felt that we were not just working for them, but with them. They availed themselves during safety meetings to discuss any and all safety or other concerns.
Sincerely, Cast & Crew of Rust
"David Stevens, Bryan Norvelle, Terese Davis, Thomas Gandy, Roman Gandy, Anna Williams, Monica Spendlove, Stacy Lockhart, Katya Luce, Devon Werkheiser, Tim Barrera, Emily Hayes, Jaden Potts, Jiji Hise, Cathy Harrison, Daniel Ornitz, Nicole Montoya, Luke Hussack, Chee Ho, Joe Heise, Emily Price, Matt Hemmer, Imani Caldwell, Isabel Langdale, Sweet Pea Kadis (sic)."
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