Alec Baldwin’s Rust Director Joel Souza Says Shooting “Ruined” Him

Alec Baldwin’s Rust Director Joel Souza Says Shooting “Ruined” Him

As a dedicated follower of the harrowing events in the film industry, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of empathy for Joel Souza. The memories of that tragic day on the set of Rust still linger, like an unwelcome guest that refuses to leave.


Joel Souza is unpacking a traumatic memory. 

Three years on from the tragic accident on the set of “Rust,” I, as a lifestyle expert, reflect on the heart-wrenching event where actor Alec Baldwin’s prop gun discharged unintentionally, taking the life of our beloved cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Now, let me share with you the director’s account of that fateful moment.

In an interview with Vanity Fair on August 15th, Souza explained that things became somewhat unclear for him as he attempted to focus on Hutchins’ camera screen right before the shot was fired. He then expressed that chaos erupted immediately afterwards.

Even though he was confused following a shoulder wound from a gunshot, the 52-year-old managed to recount the events that unfolded right after the accidental firing of the gun.

He observed that the sound was significantly amplified. It seemed as though a horse had struck him on the shoulder or someone had whacked him with a baseball bat. Immediately, his entire right side went limp, utterly numb, yet it also caused an unbearable pain simultaneously.

Just as distressing as he felt both physically and mentally, the turmoil on set remains vividly etched in his memory – a series of snapshots he described as “rapid flashes.”

In an unexpected turn of events, my mind reeled in disbelief as chaos ensued around me. My first emotion was a searing anger, a fury that threatened to consume me. As I looked up, they were lowering Halyna to sit before me, and I saw the crimson stain spreading on her white blouse. It all happened so swiftly, leaving me with a sense of shock and disbelief.

But while Souza survived the tragedy, he admitted that it “ruined” him. 

“He stated, ‘The next day, when you gaze into the mirror, it’s as if a stranger is looking back at you.’ He continued, ‘Before that event, I was unaware of many things in the world, but now I know them, and unfortunately, none of this new knowledge is beneficial.'”

Additionally, Souza expressed that he’s still dealing with the deep sorrow from the passing of Hutchins, whom he considered an exceptional friend he met later in life.

Alec Baldwin’s Rust Director Joel Souza Says Shooting “Ruined” Him

He exclaimed, “This person felt incredibly familiar to me from the start,” he went on. “I wished it had been a nightmare. It marked the start of a difficult period and deep sorrow for all involved. I was attempting to gather the fragments, as one can after such events. There was still an overwhelming sense of disbelief.”

Alec Baldwin’s Rust Director Joel Souza Says Shooting “Ruined” Him

Regarding how he feels about Alec’s involuntary manslaughter trial verdict being overturned last month due to evidence mismanagement, and the armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed who is now serving an 18-month prison sentence for convicted manslaughter, he chose not to share his mixed emotions with anyone specifically.

Souza stated, “None of what transpired was just, and no one merited any part of it, yet it occurred.”

As he put it, “I just—I don’t know what this means anymore.”

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2024-08-15 20:25