Entertainment
'Rust' movie armorer's alleged drug use to be included at trial
A New Mexico judge ruled Wednesday that alleged drug use by “Rust” movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed during off-hours could be introduced as evidence during her upcoming trial on involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of the film’s cinematographer.
Special prosecutors plan to tell jurors that Gutierrez-Reed, 26, used cocaine, marijuana and alcohol when she was not working and that she was probably hungover on Oct. 21, 2021, when she loaded a live bullet into actor into Alec Baldwin’s revolver. That day, during an rehearsal in an old wooden church, Baldwin allegedly fired the shot that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film’s director Joel Souza.
In a key hearing one week before Gutierrez-Reed’s trial on involuntary manslaughter charges is scheduled to begin in Santa Fe, N.M., attorneys wrangled over the relevance of certain evidence, including Gutierrez-Reed’s text messages. In the texts, she alluded to drug use during her off-hours while the movie was in production outside Santa Fe — including the night before the fatal shooting.
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys
objected to plans by Special Prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey to introduce text messages about drug use during the trial and a photo that allegedly depicts live ammunition in Gutierrez-Reed’s hotel room when she was smoking marijuana.
Prosecutors also plan to call a witness to try to corroborate the alleged drug use: an acquaintance who says Gutierrez-Reed gave her a small bag of a white substance for safekeeping a few hours after Gutierrez-Reed was questioned by sheriff’s deputies following the shooting.
Santa Fe County sheriff’s deputies, in their investigation, didn’t recover evidence of drugs. Film crew members were not tested for drug or alcohol on site, or when they arrived at the sheriff’s station near Santa Fe later that afternoon for questioning, attorneys have said.
Instead, the prosecutors have tried to piece together a picture of alleged drug use through Gutierrez-Reed’s text messages, which were voluntarily provided to the deputies more than two years ago to assist in the investigation.
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney, Todd Bullion, argued Wednesday the state had no evidence to show that Gutierrez-Reed was impaired on the set. He said disclosures about drug use could be prejudicial to the jury and was an overreach by prosecutors.
“They want the jury to assume that at some point prior to going to work on Oct. 21, 2021, that Ms. Gutierrez-Reed ingested cocaine,” Bullion told the judge. “They have no evidence whether that actually happened … They have no evidence as to how much cocaine would have been consumed or how it would have affected Ms. Gutierrez-Reed or her mental perception or acuity.”
First Judicial District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ruled that a few of the text messages, including one with photo of the live ammunition in the hotel room, could be introduced to the jury.
However, the judge did express some doubt that the state had enough evidence to connect alleged drug use to any impairment on set.
Wednesday’s hearing was conducted to sort out issues with witnesses and evidence before the Arizona armorer’s upcoming trial in Santa Fe, which begins with jury selection Feb. 21.
Defense attorneys also tried to introduce a new witness — an East Coast armorer who was prepared to testify that Gutierrez-Reed didn’t have adequate training required for union members who work as weapons experts in movies.
But the judge ruled the proposed addition of the new witness came to close to the trial.
Gutierrez-Reed has pleaded not guilty to the involuntary manslaughter charges as well as a separate felony charge of alleged evidence tampering. That charge was related to allegedly passing the bag with the white substance to the acquaintance.
If convicted of the involuntary manslaughter charges, she faces an 18-month prison sentence.
Last month, a New Mexico grand jury charged Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter for his role in Hutchins’ tragic death. If convicted of the charge, a fourth-degree felony, Baldwin also could serve up to 18 months in prison, according to New Mexico law.
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty. “We look forward to our day in court,” Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, said last month in a statement. A trial date for the actor has not been set.
For their part, Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys plan to argue that Hutchins’ death was the result of a series of missteps, brought on due to extreme pressure from production managers to finish the movie — involving heavy weaponry — within 21 days and under the initial $7 million budget. Filmmakers finished filming the movie last spring in Montana.
Gutierrez-Reed had asked for additional days to provide Baldwin with weapons training, but that request was rejected by the production manager. Gutierrez-Reed had said that Baldwin was distracted with his phone, talking to his family back in New York, during his one and only gun training day.
Days before the tragedy, a production manager also scolded Gutierrez-Reed for spending too much time dealing with weapons and not enough on her secondary role as assistant prop master.
Morrissey fought to exclude from the trial the findings by New Mexico’s occupational safety division, which concluded that producers were also to blame for Hutchins’ death by allowing a work set that was rife with safety violations.
The judge said Wednesday that the OSHA investigation findings could be mentioned during the trial.
Before Rust, Gutierrez-Reed worked on about seven films, including during her years as a university student in Arizona. “Rust” was just her second film as head armorer. The first was “The Old Way,” which was shot in Montana and starred Nicolas Cage.
She is the daughter of legendary Hollywood sharpshooter, Thell Reed.
The sixth outing in the director’s chair for filmmaker Kirk Jones, I Swear dramatizes the real-life story of touretter John Davidson (played by Robert Aramayo). Tourette’s Syndrome, for those unfamiliar with the condition, is a nervous system disorder that causes various tics, the most prolific being erratic and explicit language. However, as I Swear expertly showcases, the syndrome is far more than ill-timed outbursts of curse words. Davidson’s story is one of societal frustration, finding your people (both with and without the condition), and using your voice to help others rise. The subject and subject matter are handled with absolute care and understanding under Kirk’s measured vision and Robert Aramayo’s BAFTA-winning performance.
The film kicks off with the greatest exclamation to democracy ever uttered (*%#! the Queen!), as a nervous John Davidson prepares himself before entering an awards ceremony hosted by Britain’s royal family. Right away, the film tells us what it is: a triumph over adversity that blends humor and human drama with education. It’s an important setup, as the film flashes back to Davidson’s 1980s youth, where we see his time as a star soccer recruit flatline as his condition takes hold. Davidson’s life spirals from there. Some aspects, like school bullying and accidental run-ins with authority figures, are expected but important to empathizing with young Davidson’s (young version, played with heart by Scott Ellis Watson) new everyday life. The more tragic, a complete meltdown of his family system, is unsettling if quick. His father (Steven Cree) is never given enough screen time to explore his alcohol coping tendencies. However, his mother Heather’s descent into easy fixes and blaming is crushing and convincing. Harry Potter series actress Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle) gives a layered performance as Heather. Someone who loves her son, but also feels cursed by him as the entire family exits the picture. It’s bitter, she’s tired, and fills each conversation with ‘only medication and your mother can save you’ energy.
From there, the viewer and Davidson find refuge in a host of characters. Maxine Peake plays Dottie, the mother of a childhood friend and a retired mental health nurse. Screen vet Peter Mullan plays maintenance man Tommy Trotter. Together, they help Davidson build a life and an understanding of himself that carries the film forward into its second half. After that, the film is primarily a 3-actor show as director Kirk fills the screen with these tour-de-force performances. Peake and Mullan are great vessels to get the film’s main message across: patience, love, and a shared responsibility between the diagnosed and those who understand their struggle can help change the path for people quickly left behind by a normative world. Together, they are the soul of the movie, with the filmmakers clearly hoping the audience will follow their lead after they exit the theater (in my case, the beautiful Oriental Theater for the Milwaukee Film Festival). Both performances are perfectly warm and reflective and shouldn’t be left out in discussions of I Swear.
I say this because the movie is anchored by The Rings of Power actor Robert Aramayo, who leaves Elrond’s elf ears behind to bring an acute naturalism to his performance of main character John Davidson. Aramayo’s physicality and timing of the fitful Tourettes Syndrome never feel out of place or overplayed. In fact, the movie as a whole does an amazing job of never veering into sentimentality. While many moviegoers left with tissues dabbing their eyes, the filmmaking never felt like it was forcing that reaction out of audiences. It straddles the line between feel-good and reality with every story beat and lands squarely on the side of letting the real inform our feelings. Anyone with an ounce of empathy will grasp the film’s message and hopefully take it with them into life.
I Swear continues at the Milwaukee Film Festival on Tuesday, April 21st, and releases nationwide April 24th, 2026, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Several private equity firms and Hollywood power players, including United Talent Agency and longtime agent Patrick Whitesell, have expressed interest in buying parts of Casey Wasserman’s music and sports management firm after it abruptly went up for sale.
Wasserman became ensnared in controversy earlier this year after his salacious decades-old emails to Ghislaine Maxwell, an accomplice of child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, were released as part of the U.S. Justice Department’s trove of Epstein files.
The agency auction is in the early stages, according to three people close to the process but not authorized to comment.
Earlier this week, several interested parties submitted proposals to meet a preliminary deadline in the auction, two of the sources said.
The company, which changed its name to the Team last month, is expected to be valued at around $3 billion.
Providence Equity Partners holds the majority stake. The private equity firm has discussed selling the entire company or carving off Wasserman’s minority interest. Providence also has considered selling the bulk of the firm and staying on as a minority investor, one of the sources said. Another scenario could involve separating, then selling the individual business units that make up the Team.
Wasserman and Providence’s company boasts an enviable roster of music artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran. Its sports marketing practice is viewed as particularly lucrative and has potential to grow in value as big dollars flow into sports that draw large crowds.
Wasserman, who declined to comment, has a veto right over any sale of the company that he has spent a quarter of a century building.
UTA, which also declined to comment, is among the most aggressive suitors, the sources said. The Team’s sports marketing and music representation divisions would dramatically boost the Beverly Hills agency’s profile and client roster.
Whitesell, former executive chairman of Endeavor, separately has been motivated to make investments in sports, media and entertainment since last year when he left the talent agency that he and Ari Emanuel built. Whitesell launched a new firm with seed money from private equity firm Silver Lake, and last spring he started WIN Sports Group to represent professional football players.
Whitesell wasn’t immediately available for comment.
European investment firm Permira also has expressed interest, according to a knowledgeable source. Permira declined to comment.
The New York Times first reported that Permira, UTA and Whitesell had expressed interest.
The sales process is expected to stretch into summer, the knowledgeable people said. The auction could become complicated particularly if Providence decides to unwind the business.
For example, UTA could not buy the entire company because of the Brillstein television unit. The agency is bound by an agreement with the Writers Guild of America that prevents it from owning television production.
Investment bank Moelis & Company is managing the sale. A representative of the firm declined comment.
Wasserman also is the chairman of LA28, the nonprofit group that will be staging the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in two years.
Following revelations of Wasserman’s 2003 emails with Maxwell, several musicians and athletes — led by pop artist Chappell Roan and soccer star Abby Wambach — said that, to stay true to their values, they would leave the agency then known as Wasserman.
Wasserman apologized to his staff for “past personal mistakes” and said he would sell the agency.
He had limited dealings with Epstein, flying on the financier’s jet along with former President Clinton for a September 2002 humanitarian trip through Africa.
Wasserman, a prolific Clinton fundraiser whose legendary grandfather, Hollywood titan Lew Wasserman, helped the Democrat win the 1992 presidential election, was joined on Epstein’s jet by his then-wife, Laura, actor Kevin Spacey, Epstein, Maxwell — who was convicted of sexual abuse in 2021 — and others, including security agents.
The LA28 board’s executive committee unanimously voted to keep Wasserman as chairman, citing his “strong leadership” of the Games.
Pizza Movie (2026) Director: Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney, Star: Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone
Somehow, I got through an hour of this movie. I was seconds away from turning off in the first fifteen minutes because of the juvenile humor. Pizza Movie is too silly, repetitive, and the characters are annoying. Stranger Things Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone star as college friends, Jack and Montgomery. College angles are rarely seen in films right now, and that’s the one saving grace of the film. Similar to high school, people are also trying to fit in. The story and visuals were too corny. You can only watch someone’s head exploding for so long without letting yours.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Director: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, Stars: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy
I never saw the first Super Mario Brothers Movie when it was out, but I heard it got positive reviews. My brother always loved playing Super Mario video games as a kid, and I’d watch him. I tagged along with my friends to see Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it’s a cute and fun film. I like it when movies explore the video game world. The animation creates unique worlds and characters. The characters are split into their own storylines, and for me, I felt like it worked. It adds more action, especially for kids who are seeing the films.
Emily in Paris Season 5 (2025) Creator: Darren Star, Stars: Lily Collins and Ashley Park
After a bright spot in season 4, I thought season 5 of Emily in Paris would continue its growth in the story and its protagonist, but no, it’s all drained out in the usual Emily (Lily Collins) mishaps. Ashley Park (Mindy) has become too good for this show. Emily and Mindy waste several opportunities because of their love lives. The whole relationship angle is ruining it. I don’t understand why Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) is still in the show. I thought writers learned their lesson, but by the last episode, they’re continuing to bring the past into an apparent season 6.
Sarah’s Oil (2025) Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh, Stars: Naya Desir-Johnson and Zachary Levi
There’s always history lurking right beneath our noses. Sarah’s Oil (2025) tells the true story of Sarah Rector, an Oklahoma-born African American girl who became the first black female millionaire in the U.S. Naya Desir-Johnson is fierce and driven as Sarah. Zachary Levi is also along for the ride as Bert, a man who helps Sarah. Kate (Bridget Regan) was another favorite character as an intelligent woman. Cyrus Nowrasteh was drawn to the subject for its story and its themes. Nowrasteh’s direction is compelling as he unearths a hidden story from history. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime.
Jack Goes Boating (2014) Director and Star: Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Ryan
Jack Goes Boating (2014) didn’t quite work for me, largely because of its slow pace and uneven storytelling. The film stars the late Seymour Hoffman as Jack, who also directed the film. This was Hoffman’s first and only time in the directing chair. Amy Ryan also stars in the film, giving a solid performance. This was also based on a play that Hoffman starred in. Jack wants to participate in a swim championship. That’s hardly what the film is about, tracking other characters’ stories. While the film aims for quiet intimacy, it ultimately drags, making it an underwhelming viewing experience.
You Kill Me (2016), Director: John Dahl, Stars: Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson
Meet You Kill Me (2016), yet another film that I found in the museum of underrated gems. The concept revolves around Frank (Ben Kingsley), a hitman, who is sent to an A.A. meeting to get his mind focused again. A different story happens, where Frank falls in love with Laurel (Tea Leoni). Leoni is one of my favorite actresses. It also stars the funny Luke Wilson. I liked the trio’s dynamics. You Kill Me is a mental health movie. It’s okay to make changes if you’re not happy. I recommended that you keep an eye out for this movie.
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