Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson and Magic Mike actor Joe Manganiello have led tributes to director of photography Halyna Hutchins, who has died after being shot by a prop firearm discharged by actor Alec Baldwin on a film set.
The 42-year-old was airlifted to a hospital in New Mexico following the incident on the set of Western movie Rust, on which Baldwin is also a producer, but was pronounced dead by medical staff.
Johnson, also known as The Rock, commented on Hutchins’ last Instagram post, a video she shared two days ago of herself horse-riding on set, writing that a “perk” of working on a Western was that “you get to ride horses on your day off”.
Johnson wrote: “I am so so sorry. Rest easy. My love and strength to your family.”
Halyna Hutchins died after being shot by a prop firearm discharged by actor Alec Baldwin on a film set.
Lucy Nicholson
Manganiello, who recently worked with Hutchins on the film Archenemy, wrote on Instagram: “I woke up to the messages and read the news and I am in shock. I was so lucky to have had @halynahutchins as my DP on Archenemy.
“She was an absolutely incredible talent and a great person. She had such an eye and a visual style, she was the kind of cinematographer that you wanted to see succeed because you wanted to see what she could pull off next.
“She was a fantastic person. There was no amount of pressure she couldn’t handle. She was a great collaborator and an ally to anyone in front of her camera.
“Everyone who knew her was rooting for her. I can’t believe that this could happen in this day and age… gunfire from a prop gun could kill a crew member?
“This is a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to her family and especially to her son. I am so sad today for everyone who knew her and worked with her…”.
The film’s director, Joel Souza, was also injured and is being treated in hospital, authorities said.
Actor Elijah Wood was also among the people reacting to the news of the shooting, tweeting: “Absolutely horrifying and devastating news about cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. My heart goes out to her family.”
Director James Gunn tweeted: “My greatest fear is that someone will be fatally hurt on one of my sets. I pray this will never happen.
“My heart goes out to all of those affected by the tragedy today on Rust, especially Halyna Hutchins & her family.”
Archenemy director Adam Egypt Mortimer described her Hutchins as “a brilliant talent”.
He wrote: “I’m so sad about losing Halyna. And so infuriated that this could happen on a set.
“She was a brilliant talent who was absolutely committed to art and to film.”
He also re-shared a thread he posted after the film was released last year, writing: “I was lucky to have known her and to have worked with her.”
In the thread he praised her “brilliant mind for light and texture”, adding: “Her tastes and sensibility of what is cinematic were a huge asset for executing our style — the grimy but beautiful feeling I referred to as ROMANTIC BRUTALSM.”
