"Rust" crew settles civil suit against film producers, Alec Baldwin

A settlement has been reached in the civil lawsuit alleging negligence in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the Western movie "Rust," according to court documents released Friday.

The lawsuit was brought by three "Rust" crew members seeking compensation for emotional distress from producers of "Rust," including Alec Baldwin as co-producer and lead actor.

The civil suit accused producers of failing to follow industry safety rules — allegations they denied.

Terms of the settlement were not available. Attorneys for "Rust" producers and the plaintiffs could not immediately be reached by phone or email.

Plaintiffs to the lawsuit included Ross Addiego, a front-line crew member who witnessed at close range the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins at close during a rehearsal on October 2021 on a filmset ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe.

A charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin was dismissed at trial last year on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.

Separately, "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March 2024. Prosecutors accused Gutierrez-Reed of unwittingly bringing live ammunition on set and failing to follow basic gun safety protocols. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was released in May 2025, 13 months into her sentence, after being granted parole. Her parole will run through May 2026.

Baldwin was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on a movie set outside Santa Fe when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has called the tragedy a "one-in-a-trillion event."

Addiego testified at Gutierrez-Reed's trial and appeared before the grand jury that indicted Baldwin.

The filming of "Rust" was completed in Montana in 2023. Baldwin said finishing the film was "nothing less than a miracle." The Western was released in theaters in May.