Cinematographer Who Replaced Halyna Hutchins onRustThought 'I Might Never Work Again' After Finishing Movie

Mar. 15, 2025

Halyna Hutchins at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on May 22, 2017.Photo: James Gourley/Shutterstock

Three years after the death of cinematographerHalyna Hutchins, the woman who took over from her on the set ofRustis speaking out about finishing the controversial film.In a newly published interview withThe Hollywood Reporter,Bianca Cline(Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) recalled texting directorJoel Souzawith her interest in replacing Hutchins after Cline’s friend Rachel Mason, who is making a movie about Hutchins, urged her to step in.After her conversation with Mason, “I stayed in my apartment for three days just sitting there, like, ‘Could I do that? Why would I do that?' " Cline toldTHR.“Eventually, I decided it was the right thing to do,” she continued. “I thought, ‘If I had died, I would want Halyna to do it.' “Halyna Hutchins.Joe Manganiello InstagramSouza,who was also injuredwhen the gunAlec Baldwinwas holding went off with live ammunition, toldTHRthat receiving Cline’s text “sort of made me think, ‘Oh, maybe there is kindness out there about [Rust].' “But aside from the emotional challenges, Cline said it was difficult hiring a camera crew after she signed on asRust’s new director of photography, as people were wary of signing on toa project with such controversy surrounding it.“Even people who thought it was a great idea that we were finishing the film were like, ‘I can’t be associated with that,’ because there was such a stigma,” she toldTHR.As for how the project might affect her own career, Cline said, “When I took the film, I did it knowing I might never work again."“This might be my last movie,” she added. “I might be blackballed.”Set ofRustin Santa Fe, New Mexico, on April 26, 2022.Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office/ZUMA Press Wire Service/ShutterstockRustis premiering this month at theCamerimage Festivalin Poland, which runs from Nov. 16 to 23 and honors the work of cinematographers and directors of photography.“Almost three years after the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins, a Ukrainian cinematographer who was part of the festival family, Camerimage is set to honor her memory and remind the world of her legacy,” the festival announced in an October press release.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Cline told PEOPLE at the time that the screening willbe honoring Hutchins' “beautiful” work, explaining ofRust, “I think that it’s her best film. I think that it’s her most beautiful film, and I’ve seen all of them.““I’m in awe of how much people admired her and just how talented she is,” Cline also said. “I think that cinematographers sometimes get relegated to being seen as technicians, but I think that Halyna elevated it to an art.”

Three years after the death of cinematographerHalyna Hutchins, the woman who took over from her on the set ofRustis speaking out about finishing the controversial film.

In a newly published interview withThe Hollywood Reporter,Bianca Cline(Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) recalled texting directorJoel Souzawith her interest in replacing Hutchins after Cline’s friend Rachel Mason, who is making a movie about Hutchins, urged her to step in.

After her conversation with Mason, “I stayed in my apartment for three days just sitting there, like, ‘Could I do that? Why would I do that?' " Cline toldTHR.

“Eventually, I decided it was the right thing to do,” she continued. “I thought, ‘If I had died, I would want Halyna to do it.' "

Halyna Hutchins.Joe Manganiello Instagram

Souza,who was also injuredwhen the gunAlec Baldwinwas holding went off with live ammunition, toldTHRthat receiving Cline’s text “sort of made me think, ‘Oh, maybe there is kindness out there about [Rust].' "

But aside from the emotional challenges, Cline said it was difficult hiring a camera crew after she signed on asRust’s new director of photography, as people were wary of signing on toa project with such controversy surrounding it.

“Even people who thought it was a great idea that we were finishing the film were like, ‘I can’t be associated with that,’ because there was such a stigma,” she toldTHR.

As for how the project might affect her own career, Cline said, “When I took the film, I did it knowing I might never work again.”

“This might be my last movie,” she added. “I might be blackballed.”

Set ofRustin Santa Fe, New Mexico, on April 26, 2022.Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office/ZUMA Press Wire Service/Shutterstock

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office/ZUMA Press Wire Service/Shutterstock

Rustis premiering this month at theCamerimage Festivalin Poland, which runs from Nov. 16 to 23 and honors the work of cinematographers and directors of photography.

“Almost three years after the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins, a Ukrainian cinematographer who was part of the festival family, Camerimage is set to honor her memory and remind the world of her legacy,” the festival announced in an October press release.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Cline told PEOPLE at the time that the screening willbe honoring Hutchins’ “beautiful” work, explaining ofRust, “I think that it’s her best film. I think that it’s her most beautiful film, and I’ve seen all of them.”

“I’m in awe of how much people admired her and just how talented she is,” Cline also said. “I think that cinematographers sometimes get relegated to being seen as technicians, but I think that Halyna elevated it to an art.”

source: people.com