Movies

Halyna Hutchins was honored with yet another candlelight vigil in the wake of her tragic death -- only this time, it was held on the West Coast ... with members of the union of which she was in.

Dozens of people came out Sunday night with lit candles in hand, congregating at the I.A.T.S.E. Local 80 building in Burbank -- the main California headquarters, which advocates for scores of creatives who work in the film and TV industry ... presumably, Halyna too.

It was a somber gathering, where folks looked to be hanging out mostly in silence ... or speaking quietly to their neighbor. Most everyone was wearing face masks. There also appeared to be some people with signs, calling for the firing of I.A.T.S.E. Prez Matt Loeb.

The union has been in the news lately ... threatening to have its members go on strike if certain demands weren't met, including higher pay. A deal was recently struck to avoid any such shutdown -- but after Halyna's death, ya gotta wonder if safety was brought up in these negotiations. If not, it will almost certainly be addressed at the next juncture.

This is the second candlelight vigil for Halyna -- there was one held last week in Albuquerque, NM ... not far from where she was accidentally shot and killed by Alec Baldwin.

After a dreadful 4th of July night back in 1996, a group of friends -- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Ryan Phillippe -- reconnect when they are faced with the killer consequences of their actions.

"I Know What You Did Last Summer" came out 24 years ago ... but the young cast in the slasher film haven't aged a bit. We don't know what you did last summer, but we sure know what you'll be doing this week for Halloween ... taking a look back at the cast of this iconic horror film!!

The assistant director on the set of "Rust" who told Alec Baldwin the prop gun he was about to fire was safe has allowed an unsafe working environment on previous productions ... this according to someone who worked with him on a previous production.

Propmaker Maggie Goll worked with A.D. Dave Halls in 2019 on Hulu's "Into the Dark" series. She says, "At first he seemed like an older, affable first [A.D.] with the usual run of idiosyncrasies, but that facade soon disappeared," adding, "He did not maintain a safe working environment."

"He did not maintain a safe working environment," Goll said in a statement to NBC News. "Sets were almost always allowed to become increasingly claustrophobic, no established fire lanes, exits blocked ... safety meetings were nonexistent."

Goll says in one case Halls continued to let cameras roll in the middle of a medical emergency -- when something happened to the pyrotechnician -- and she says that created a dangerous situation.

Perhaps most alarming ... she says Halls didn't hold safety meetings when a gun was used on the set.

Halls is the one who gave Baldwin the prop gun and yelled, "cold gun" ... meaning it had no live rounds. Apparently that was a fatal error.

Simon Monjack isn't the monster he was portrayed to be in HBO's newest Brittany Murphy doc, so says his brother, who feels he was duped into participating in the whole thing.

The two-part series investigates the life, relationships and death of the actress ... but mostly focuses on her bizarre marriage to Simon Monjack -- who died just 5 months after Murphy. There's a lot of suspicions raised about the circumstances surrounding her death, but one theme in the doc remains constant ... Simon wasn't a good dude.

Throughout the episodes, Simon is accused of controlling Brittany, taking her money, having secret kids and eventually preventing her from getting medical attention.

Monjack's brother, James, who is interviewed in the series tells us he was disappointed that the filmmakers made Simon out to be the villain.

James says the project was originally pitched to him to be investigative journalism into the couple's deaths, but instead, it came off as a sensationalistic piece. James said he and his mother -- who was also interviewed -- had hoped the series would lead to a breakthrough in what actually killed Simon and Brittany, but made it seem more like Simon led to her death.

While James says he was able to watch the entire thing, his mom won't ... and she too is upset that all it really did was point fingers at Simon.

The smoking gun that claimed the life of Halyna Hutchins might've been more than just an on-set prop -- it was also being fired recreationally, even when cameras weren't rolling.

Multiple sources directly connected to the 'Rust' production tell TMZ ... the same gun Alec Baldwin accidentally fired -- hitting the DP and director -- was being used by crews members off set as well, for what we're told amounted to target practice.

We're told this off-the-clock shooting -- which was allegedly happening away from the movie lot -- was being done with real bullets ... which is how some who worked on the film believe a live round found its way in one of the chambers that day.

Obviously, authorities would want to speak to anyone who had been using the weapon for target practice, and -- more importantly -- to whoever was putting the gun back among others used for filming.

We've reached out to law enforcement to see if that's happened yet.

Hailey Bieber is speaking up on the accidental shooting that claimed Halyna Hutchins' life -- meanwhile ... her own director and husband have something to say as well.

Alec Baldwin's niece shared some somber words on behalf of all affected parties, taking to IG to write ... "Sending all my love to the family of Halyna Hutchins. This is a truly unimaginable and devastating tragedy."

She adds, "My thoughts are also with Joel Souza as he recovers. I am absolutely heartbroken for everyone involved." No explicit mention of Alec -- to whom she has a direct tie -- but it's obvious why Hailey's weighing in ... as this is a family affair.

As Hailey sent her own thoughts ... Joel Souza -- the director of the Baldwin flick, "Rust," who was also injured during the accident -- has broken his silence on the tragedy. He tells Deadline, "I am gutted by the loss of my friend and colleague, Halyna. She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch and always pushed me to be better."

He adds, "My thoughts are with her family at this most difficult time. I am humbled and grateful by the outpouring of affection we have received from our filmmaking community, the people of Santa Fe, and the hundreds of strangers who have reached out. It will surely aid in my recovery." Souza was reportedly released from the hospital Friday with a shoulder injury.

Finally, Hutchins' widowed hubby, Matt, also shared some thoughts publicly for the first time -- writing, "Thank you to Halyna's friends and mentors at AFI for establishing a scholarship to honor her memory and support aspiring female cinematographers."

He continues, "Anyone seeking to honor her memory, please direct your giving to this fund."

Alec had previously said he was in contact with Matt ... and was cooperating with law enforcement to figure out how exactly this might've happened. There are already some clues, however, that have surfaced in a warrant -- which said an assistant director handed Alec the hot gun, thinking it was "cold."

Lori Loughlin is back in front of the camera since getting out of prison -- doing work on a network you may have never heard of ... until now!

The former 'Full House' star and Hallmark Channel darling is acting in her first TV show since the college admission scandal ... which implicated Lori and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli - both whom eventually pleaded guilty and served time behind bars.

The dust has mostly settled on that front -- and, so, here's a first look at Lori getting back to normal with the upcoming holiday series "When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas" ... a 2-part premiere that'll be airing on the GAC Family network in December.

This series is a spinoff of Lori's old Hallmark show, "When Calls the Heart," and she's reprising her longtime role of Abigail Stanton. The difference now ... this new show is NOT on Hallmark and was picked up by GAC, which is a lot like THC in the content department.

You'll recall ... Lori got dropped by Hallmark on the heels of being charged in the college admission scandal in 2019 -- and they made it quite clear she wasn't welcome back.

With that said, it's bizarre that a Hallmark-linked show got greenlit elsewhere ... with Lori's character being brought back, and folks making the Hallmark connection. Still, it's not technically being carried on their airwaves -- maybe they think their hands are clean. 🤷🏽‍♂️

In any case ... she's not the only one getting a second chance -- Felicity Huffman, too, is going back to work. She's set to star in a comedy series on none other than ABC.

The woman responsible for handling weapons on the set of Alec Baldwin's "Rust" had only recently taken on a gig as a head armorer, and shared she had real doubts about doing the job.

Hannah Reed -- daughter of Hollywood armorer Thell Reed -- appeared on the "Voices of the West" podcast last month to talk about her new experiences in the biz. Reed told the hosts she had just wrapped a western movie with Nic Cage called "The Old Way" ... and it was her first time as head armorer on a movie.

In a now-eerie confession, Reed says of the Cage job, "You know, I was really nervous about it at first, and I almost didn't take the job because I wasn't sure if I was ready ... but, doing it, like, it went really smoothly."

Reed also talked about the guidance she's gotten from her dad -- who has previously worked on "Django: Unchained" "3:10 to Yuma" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" -- as an armorer.

In talking about her training, Reed told the podcast hosts loading blanks in prop guns was "the scariest" thing to her, because she didn't know how to do it ... but it was something her dad had helped her work through.

Of course, there are still a lot of questions surrounding the accident on set ... including whether it was a live round in the gun Baldwin fired or a blank. Indiewire obtained an email sent by the propmasters union which claimed the gun Alec Baldwin fired had a "live single round" which struck 2 crew members.

A source who was working on the film tells us just last weekend there were several issues with blanks being shot when they weren't supposed to ... it's unclear who the head armorer was at that time.

The gun handed to Alec Baldwin before the fatal shooting on the "Rust" movie set was loaded with a live round ... according to a warrant from the ongoing police investigation.

The warrant says an assistant director handed the gun to Alec and told the actor it was safe to use before the deadly incident ... according to the warrant obtained by the Associated Press.

The warrant says the assistant director didn't know the gun was loaded, but it doesn't mention who actually loaded the gun ... which may become the central issue.

Alec's blood-stained costume from the movie has been taken as evidence, as well as the gun that went off, plus other prop guns and ammo being used on set, according to the warrant.

The warrant says Halyna Hutchins was shot in the chest and Joel Souza was wounded as he was standing behind her.

A source working on the movie tells us gun safety has been a consistent issue on set, and just last weekend blank rounds were shot when they weren't supposed to go off.

As we reported ... Alec pulled the trigger on the gun and the accident resulted in the death of 42-year-old cinematographer Hutchins. She was struck and airlifted to a hospital, where she died. Director Souza was also hit, but has reportedly been released from the hospital.

Crew members on the set of "Rust" were quick to dial 911 after a gun accident that left one woman dead, telling operators "we need help immediately."

The caller is the film's script supervisor, and it's clear to hear the panic in her voice when she says 2 people were accidentally shot by a prop gun. The operator asks if a real bullet was fired from the gun, but the caller does not know what shot out.

The newly released call also gives some insight as to how people were shot, telling the dispatch it was during a rehearsal that the gun went off ... she does not know how serious the bleeding on either victim is.

Eventually, a male takes over the call from the film set, and let's the operator know both people are alert and a medic is tending to them ... but clearly, things took a turn for the worse.

As we reported, Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger on the gun, which caused the accident ... 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins died at the hospital after being airlifted and Director Joel Souza was also struck, but was reportedly released from the hospital.

Baldwin released a statement Friday, saying, "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours. I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred."

He continued, "I am in touch with with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna."

There have not yet been any arrests from the incident, and it continues to be investigated by the local sheriff, district attorney and OHSB.

Alec Baldwin was filming a scene for a movie that required someone to fire a gun loaded with blanks, but when the gun discharged either shrapnel or a bullet hit 2 people on set ... one of whom had to be airlifted to a hospital.

Our sources tell us the incident happened Thursday on location in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Alec is filming a new western he's starring in called "Rust" at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, a movie ranch.

We're told Alec was filming the scene when someone pulled the prop gun's trigger. It's unclear if the person who loaded the gun mistakenly placed bullets inside, or if something was lodged in the barrel that hit the director as well as the director of photography.

Our sources say the director was hit in the clavicle, but the DP wasn't so lucky ... she was airlifted and rushed to a hospital. As for Alec, we're told he was not injured.

Earlier Thursday, he posted a pic of himself in character on the set. After the accident, we're told production shut down for the day.

Local sheriff's deputies are on the scene already and they've launched an investigation.

The woman killed on the set of Alec Baldwin's film "Rust" once described herself as a "restless dreamer" and "adrenaline junkie" -- but it was her "brilliant talent" that stuck with those who worked with her.

Halyna Hutchins, the 42-year-old Director of Photography, hailed from Ukraine and grew up as an "army brat" on a Soviet military base "surrounded by reindeer and and nuclear submarines" ... according to her website. She was also named one of American Cinematographer magazine’s “rising stars” in 2019.

Most recently, Halyna worked on the film "Archenemy" as the DP. The project starred Joe Manganiello, who praised her talent in a touching tribute, saying, "... she was the kind of cinematographer that you wanted to see succeed because you wanted to see what she could pull off next."

Adam Egypt Mortimer, who directed "Archenemy," also paid tribute, calling Halyna a "brilliant talent who was absolutely committed to art and to film."

As we reported, Halyna and "Rust" director Joel Souza were both struck -- either by a bullet or shrapnel -- after a serious mishap from a gun fired by Alec Baldwin. Halyna was airlifted to a local hospital in Santa Fe, New Mexico where she died from her injuries. Souza is expected to survive.

Baldwin was spotted shortly after the accident looking distraught ... he had also recently posted a photo from set, which was later deleted.

Halyna leaves behind a husband and a son.

The same thing that's hurt Kate Beckinsale's career is helping Ross Butler's take off in Hollywood, and that thing is ... brain power!!! Lots of it.

We got the "13 Reasons Why" and "Riverdale" star Thursday at LAX, and considering his collegiate history, he's the perfect person to address Kate's recent reveal about her high IQ.

ICYMI ... KB told Howard Stern her intelligence has hurt her career. She wasn't specific about why, but added that doctors have said she'd be much happier if she were less brilliant.

Well, Ross -- who studied biomolecular and chemical engineering -- says he's had a much different experience. Check out his explanation for why his smarts are making him a better actor. BTW, it's not like he's playing brilliant scientists on camera.

The heartthrob also opened up about another hot topic ... his dancing session with "Outer Banks" star Madelyn Cline! Y'know, the one that had everyone thinking she'd broken up with her costar Chase Stokes?

Kate Beckinsale had a super-interesting chit-chat with Howard Stern on Wednesday's show ... she said her off-the-charts IQ has actually damaged her career.

Howard did an excellent job of mining for gold, knowing that Kate was extremely brainy. He pushed to know where Kate landed on the IQ spectrum, and Kate either didn't remember or didn't want to say.

But Howard pressed, and eventually, Kate called her mom for a memory jog. Mom came through and revealed Kate's IQ was a VERY impressive 152.

Now the conversation turns, because Kate says doctors told her she'd be a lot happier if she were 30% less smart. Howard's response is hilarious.

And then, Kate dropped the bombshell ... that her smarts have actually hurt her career. She didn't really explain how, other than the intimation she doesn't suffer fools.

Howard wanted to know how that affects her dating life, especially when the man doesn't measure up in the cerebrum department.

Kate doesn't name names, but she does say she can forgive a lot if the dude is funny.

Tawny Kitaen, the late actress who starred in "Bachelor Party" and whose personal life was filled with radical ups and downs, died from heart issues ... this according to her autopsy.

According to the Orange County Coroner's Office, Tawny's official cause of death is dilated cardiomyopathy ... the most common type of heart disease.

Other contributing factors include clogged arteries, antidepressants, sedatives, Tylenol, nerve pain medication and opioids.

TMZ broke the story ... Tawny died May 7 in Newport Beach, CA and cops told her family there was nothing found at the scene suggesting alcohol, drugs or pills were a factor in her death, nor were there any signs she took her own life.

Tawny's death came not long after her father passed, and her brother told us their father's loss was simply too much for her to handle.

Her family and close friends recently gathered to remember her one last time with an intimate celebration of life in Newport ... and she's been cremated.

Tawny lived a pretty storied life -- she acted in films like the one mentioned above, and has credits in flicks like "The Perils of Gwendoline" and "After Midnight" -- as well as several hit TV series, such as "Santa Barbara," "The New WKRP in Cincinnati," "Eek! the Cat," "Hercules," "Moms Anonymous," and many, many more over the years.

And, Tawny famously was featured in some music videos ... notably Whitesnake's "Is This Love," and "Here I Go Again."

Scottish actor Shirley Henderson is best known for playing the ghostly girl Moaning Myrtle -- whose dramatic antics in the bathroom ... and later in a bubbly bathtub ... help the young magicians ward off dark spirits -- in the 2002 film "Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets" and the 2005 installment "Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire."

Before her role on the fantasy films Henderson was cast as the party girl who still lived at home Gail in "Trainspotting" and the shy friend Jude in the three "Bridget Jones' films.