Halyna Hutchins' Mother's Death Won't End 'Rust' Lawsuit as Estate Moves to Continue Claims

Olga Solovey, the mother of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, has died at the age of 67. Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of the Western film "Rust" in October 2021, a death that set off years of criminal and civil litigation still working its way through the courts.

Solovey's death was confirmed by attorneys representing the Hutchins family, who said she passed away Feb. 24 while living in Kyiv, Ukraine. In a statement, the family's legal team described Solovey as having been left heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected loss of her daughter, a grief that had shaped much of her final years as she pursued legal accountability for the shooting.

According to her family's attorneys, Solovey's death does not end her involvement in the ongoing litigation. To keep her consortium claims alive, the legal team said it plans to file an "Application for the Appointment of Limited Representative in New Mexico," naming Solovey's surviving daughter, Svetlana Zemko, to step into that role.

Lawyers have stated that they also intend to file a motion asking the court to formally substitute Solovey's estate as a party in the case, a procedural step that would allow the litigation to continue despite her death. "Olga's death will not deter us from seeking justice in Olga's name," the attorneys said in their statement, signaling that the family intends to press forward rather than let the case lapse.

The underlying tragedy dates back to Oct. 21, 2021, when actor Alec Baldwin discharged a replica revolver on the New Mexico set of "Rust," fatally wounding Hutchins. The shooting set off a lengthy legal reckoning that has touched nearly everyone connected to the film's production.

Baldwin himself was charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, but that charge was ultimately dismissed at trial, closing the door on criminal liability for the actor even as civil claims from multiple directions continued to move forward.

Several parties connected to the film pursued civil claims against Baldwin in the years following the shooting. Hutchins' husband reached a settlement with Baldwin and the film's producers, resolving his portion of the litigation.

However, Solovey chose a different path, filing her own lawsuit against Baldwin in New Mexico. She did so alongside Mamie Mitchell, the "Rust" script supervisor who had originally filed suit in Los Angeles before her claims were transferred to Santa Fe, consolidating a portion of the litigation in the New Mexico court system where the shooting occurred.

The amended complaint filed by Solovey and Mitchell includes claims of assault, negligence, and emotional distress, allegations that mirror language used throughout the broader body of litigation stemming from the shooting. Those claims will now continue under Solovey's estate, assuming the court approves the family's request to substitute a legal representative in her place, a step attorneys described as necessary to preserve her stake in the case rather than let it dissolve with her death.

The "Rust" shooting has remained a subject of sustained legal and public attention for nearly four years, touching on questions of on-set safety protocols, weapons handling, and accountability among producers and cast.

While Baldwin's criminal exposure ended with the dismissal of his manslaughter charge, the civil litigation has proven far more durable, with family members and crew continuing to pursue claims well after the shooting itself faded from daily headlines.

No further details on funeral arrangements or additional statements from the family have been made public at this time.