Hollywood on edge about firearms in wake of ‘Rust’ tragedy

A group of filmmakers attend a training course run by Dutch Merrick, a veteran Hollywood armorer – Copyright AFP Antonin UTZ

Romain FONSEGRIVES

In a studio near Los Angeles, a group of filmmakers practice framing a close-up of a rubber gun held by an actor, when they are suddenly interrupted.

“He’s pointing the gun directly at the crew — it’s exactly what happened on ‘Rust’”, said Dutch Merrick, a veteran armorer who offers training on gun safety in movies.

“Who’s going to raise that and speak up, if they see this situation?” he demands.

Merrick is referring to the infamous tragedy that took place in October 2021 on the New Mexico set of Alec Baldwin’s low-budget Western “Rust.”

That day, Baldwin pointed a prop gun in the direction of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. He believed the revolver contained only blank bullets, but a live round struck Hutchins.

Baldwin goes on trial for involuntary manslaughter this Tuesday.

“It was a wake up call to me,” said Virginia Brazier, one of the grou